Facilitating Access to Animal Resources and Markets in Agdam, Agcabadi, Barda, Beylaqan and Tartar districts of Azerbaijan (FARMS)

Despite Azerbaijan’s rapid economic progress over the past two decades, fuelled by a large natural resource boom, development benefits have not been equally shared among the population. Economic diversification is also becoming a pressing concern as oil and gas reserves are dwindling. Thanks to favorable natural conditions and opportunities for large efficiency gains, agriculture has a good growth potential. However, major problems prevent the development of the sector such as badly organized farmers, lack of knowledge and skills in different fields, monopolized markets, corruption and government interference in the private sector.

To contribute to improvement of living conditions of target communities through sustainable increase of incomes of male and female farmers in animal husbandry.

The target group of the project is a selected range of market players (dairy processors, milk traders, services providers and input suppliers, including feed mills, MFIs, animal bazaars and vocational schools) with whom the project will engage to bring about systemic change of the market system for the eventual benefit of the beneficiary group, which is the rural poor (small and medium scale cattle holders) in the target districts in Azerbaijan. It is expected that a total of 20,000 households in rural areas of the five districts will benefit from the project.

Outcome 1: Farmers have access to markets; Outcome 2: Farmers have access to relevant inputs and services

Risultati fasi precedenti:  

In phase I the project achieved the following results, among others: a) FARMS reached 5’700 beneficiaries (3’600 women and 2’100 men or 2’500 with vet and feeding services and 3’200 milk suppliers); b) a FARMS beneficiary has today more than 10’000 AZN cattle capital whereas a non-beneficiary has only 7386 AZN; c) compared to 2010, FARMS beneficiaries have today bigger herds (+25%) and non-beneficiaries smaller (-10%); d) FARMS beneficiaries have 3’000 AZN more in value (men headed households), respectively 1’500 AZN in women headed households, than non-beneficiaries since they keep their animals longer and eventually had more offspring (higher fertility, conscious breeding); e) facilitation of FARMS led to more than 15 newly created jobs.

Fase 2 07.11.2013 - 31.10.2016   (Completed)