Japan provides critical funding to enhance food security and self-reliance for vulnerable people in the Kyrgyz Republic

“The Government of Japan, together with WFP, continues to support the socio-economic development of our country, including the sectors overseen by the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic,” said Gulnara Baatyrova, the Minister of Labour, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic. “I would like to thank the Government and Japan and WFP for their continuous support and I am sure that the project will be implemented in an efficient manners.”

“This project will provide employment opportunities, skills and human capacity development in agriculture-related area, to the people in Batken, Osh, Jalal-Abad, Naryn and Issyk-kul provinces, where the highest degree of vulnerability was identified,” said H.E. Hideki Goda, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kyrgyz Republic. “Japan and the Kyrgyz Republic have developed friendship and mutual cooperation, including projects related to labour, for more than thirty years. Last year the President of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Prime Minister of Japan decided to elevate the level of the bilateral relations to a comprehensive partnership.”

High inflation and the global cost of living crisis are increasing the number of food-insecure population in need of assistance. The crises are reducing the immediate purchasing power of the most vulnerable due to lower income and rising prices, and also weakening their long-term resilience and ability to withstand future shocks. Consequently, nearly 33 percent of the population lives in poverty , with an additional 7 percent on the brink of poverty.

WFP works with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to change the lives of food-insecure people and build community resilience for sustainable prosperity.

“Due to the impact of the global food crisis and multiple shocks, 38 percent of the population in the country cannot afford a nutritious diet,” said Kojiro Nakai, WFP Representative and Country Director in the Kyrgyz Republic. “WFP appreciates the significant contribution from the people and the Government of Japan, which will enable us to support close to 50,000 vulnerable population living in remote, mountainous regions.” 

Japan is a long-standing and strategic partner of WFP in the Kyrgyz Republic. With previous financial support from the Government of Japan, WFP provided assistance to affected people during the Bakten crisis response while establishing mini-processing workshops through the market-oriented Public-Private Partnership model. This latest funding will further strengthen the resilience of rural communities and help develop the human capitals of the country.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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