EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJANI REGIONS http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/azerbaijan EU Delegation to Azerbaijan EU Delegation to Azerbaijan EU Delegation to Azerbaijan EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJANI REGIONS OF AZERBAIJANI REGIONS FOREWORD Regional Development is one of the key sectors of cooperation between the long- standing partners - European Union and Azerbaijan. This brochure highlights some of the recently implemented projects to support the regions of Azerbaijan. It shows how that helped the regional development and changed people’s lives. Enjoy reading their stories and learn how the EU-Azerbaijan cooperation helped to promote sustainable rural development, businesses and local communities. Get in touch with us if you would like to learn more about our work in Azerbaijan and about the Eastern Partnership in action! Kęstutis Jankauskas Ambassador of the European Union in the Republic of Azerbaijan SUPPORT TO REGIONAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT 2 3 EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJANI REGIONS PROJECT INFORMATION PROJECT INFORMATION FACTSHEET FACTSHEET General Information General Information The agricultural initiatives for market-driven income generation in Support to Local and Regional Development in Ganja – Gazakh Title of the action Title of the action the Telishli ecomigrant community Economic Region (SLRD) Location The Telishli community is settled in the villages Telishli and Allahmadatli Location Ganja-Gazakh Economic Region Duration (months) + start and end Duration (months) + start and end 36 months (13.11.2017-13.11.2020) 35 months (01.01. 2017- 01.11. 2019) date date EU budget (EUR) EUR 240 527 EU budget (EUR) EUR 2 000 000 (88.9% of total cost) Ecological Society “Ruzgar” EU Delegation and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation Contracting party Contracting party Implementing partners: Community Development Council of Telishli and and Development (BMZ) via GIZ Telishli Municipality • Ministry of Economy; Beneficiary Telishli community • Ministry of Agriculture; Beneficiary • State Tourism Agency; • Different stakeholders of the Ganja-Gazakh economic region Results achieved • Irrigation system to increase productivity of the community Results achieved pasture and for growing environmentally friendly products • 32 Local Development Plans (LDPs) elaborated with • 100 women entrepreneurs improved their leadership is improved; rural municipalities; and networking skills; • A workshop for producing • 11 District Development Plans (DDPs) elaborated • More than 300 specific initiatives developing Terekeme carpet is established; through application of planning methodologies for agriculture and tourism derived from planning on • Road market for selling of crop regional development; LDP and DDP level; and livestock products produced • 3746 participants (1595 females, 2151 males) • 16 pilot measures utilizing development potentials by community members is benefited from 188 capacity building activities, in the nexus of agriculture and tourism were constructed; including 141 trainings with 2571 participants (1289 implemented. • A farm of Halep goats is females, 1282 males); established; • A pond farm for development of fishery is established. 4 5 EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJANI REGIONS SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL FAMILY BUSINESSES IN THE SHEKI-ZAQATALA ECONOMIC ZONE THROUGH ABAD REGIONAL CENTRE IN BALAKAN Supported by EU funding, “ABAD” regional centre restores ancient carpet weaving traditions in Balakan, Azerbaijan. Mirvari Azizova, a professional tailor, applied for EU trainings to learn how to weave a carpet. After the trainings she decided to expand her business and to engage female Keeping alive sweet family apprentices as well. tradition: EU project creates new job opportunities for women. Aytekin Sadigova, who started her farm with 10 boxes of bees, currently has 22 boxes of bees due to the project’s support. Nigar and her friends, dealing with Ebru art in Sheki, attended the EU programme’s trainings on ceramics and pottery making, and learned how More than 600 people have benefited from the 44 new business start-ups within the project, implemented in the to prepare gymsum, paint and cook ceramics, and received necessary Sheki-Zagatala region. One of the positive aspects of the project is that it keeps alive the forgotten art industry in tools. The project helped them to realise their dreams. new family businesses. 6 7 EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJANI REGIONS In the framework of the COVCHEG project, around 50 foods have been collected in Azerbaijan. 11 of them have been included in the Ark of Taste, an international catalogue of endangered heritage foods. These entries are qaxac, grape leafs dolma, tuber, cotoneaster, pear, “Ata-baba” hazelnut, bamie, pekmez, fatir, rose petal confit, dried salty curd, rosehip syrup and acidic orchard sauce. THE SEEDS PROJECT CONTINUES TO YIELD GOOD RESULTS. EACH OF THE 75 BENEFICIARIES WAS PROVIDED WITH 5 BEE FAMILIES AND THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEEKEEPING. 8 9 EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJANI REGIONS PROJECT INFORMATION PROJECT INFORMATION FACTSHEET FACTSHEET General Information General Information Implementation of the Support to Rural and Regional Development Promoting Community-based Agritourism as a Rural Regeneration Title of the action Title of the action (SRRD) Program in the Republic of Azerbaijan / Technical Strategy Assistance Location Guba, Gusar, Shabran, Siyazan, Khachmaz, Salyan, Jalilabad, Lankaran Guba-Khachmaz ER (5 districts); Dagligh-Shirvan ER (4 districts); Shaki- Duration (months) + start and end Location 42 months (11.10.2017-11.04.2021) Zagatala ER (6 districts) and Goychay district date Duration (months) + start and end 49 months (01.01.2017- 01.02. 2021) EU budget (EUR) EUR 384 437 (90% of total cost) date Contracting Party: Local Governance Assistance Public Union (LGA) EU budget (EUR) EUR 3 725 000 Contracting party Implementing partners: Shafag Ecotourism Public Union, Support to the International Development Ireland (IDI) LTD Contracting party Development of Rural Green Tourism Public Union Implementing partners: Government of Azerbaijan; Ministry of Economy • Small-holder farms and MSMEs Department of Development of Regions and State Programmes of • Rural youth Beneficiary the Ministry of Economy with its Central Office and the pilot Regional Beneficiary • Unemployed adults Offices • Representatives of municipalities and other local government institutions and non-government institutions Results achieved • Capacity of beneficiary institutions and - 3 cooperatives (1 for each target crops) Results achieved stakeholders to prepare, implement and monitor established; • Implement public awareness territorial development plans enhanced; - 1 Methodological Guidelines for designing of program to promote agritourism • In total 1264 trainees (151 female and 1113 male) TDPs published and mobilize interested involved in various trainings conducted by the - 1 glossary with 40 terms in Projects community members; project. Trainees were from public (1051), private preparation and RED approach published; (126) and farmer (87); • Agritourism sector VC analysis - 1 VC manual, 5 flyers for 5 crops, Land and Inventory List in target • 16 Territorial Development Plans (3 for suitability maps for every crop and 1 info- regions; specialization and 13 on Regional Economic graphic for table grape and wine prepared and • Develop Agritourism Market Development) prepared and 2 pre-feasibility published. studies conducted: Readiness Matrix; • Effective and efficient financing schemes for • Organize multi-stakeholder - 29 comprehensive Value Chain studies for implementation of the territorial development workshops on promotion of selected crops conducted; plans on specialization developed: clusters, cooperatives and - 10 Territorial Development Plans finalized; - 2 reports elaborated on available financing other forms of associations in - 2 Pre-Feasibility Studies finalized; schemes; agritourism VC; - 102 project proposals prepared (Project fiches). • Identify and train local pool of Trainers within VETs to ensure continuity of business trainings; • Design and execute awareness sessions on agritourism and entrepreneurship for youth and adults in partnership with VETs 10 11 EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJANI REGIONS EU FUNDED PROJECTS IN AZERBAIJAN BALAKAN ZAGATALA KHACHMAZ GUSAR GAKH AGSTAFA SHABRAN QUBA QAZAX SHAKI SIYAZAN OGHUZ TOVUZ SAMUKH GABALA MINGECHEVIR Agriculture Gender ISMAILLI GANJA Xızı SHAMKIR SHEMAKHI Tourism Youth YEVLAX GOYGOL GOYCHAY GORANBOY AGHDASH AGSU GOBUSTAN GADABAY BAKU NAFTALAN UJAR SME Regional Development DASHKASAN TARTAR Absheron BARDA ZARDAB KURDAMIR Human rights & Civil society activities HAJIGABUL Support to family business AGHJABADI Khankendi SHIRVAN IMISHLI Inclusive education SABIRABAD Shusha SAATLI Youth support SALYAN FUZULI Legal reform BILASUVAR Note: Projects implemented by Civil Society Organizations NEFTCHALA Nakhichevan JALILABAD MASALLI YARDIMLI LERIK LENKORAN ASTARA 12 13 EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJANI REGIONS PROJECT INFORMATION Vagif Gurbanov, FACTSHEET Zagatala, Yukhari Tala Village General Information Support to the development of small family businesses in the Title of the action Sheki-Zaqatala Economic Zone through ABAD regional centre in Balakan