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Kyrgyzstan's economy has faced multiple shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, cross-border conflicts, and currency depreciation, leading to a surge in inflation and increased poverty rates. Most of the population resides in rural areas, where poverty is prevalent, exacerbated by low agricultural productivity, inadequate infrastructure, and policy challenges. Smallholder farmers play a crucial role in agriculture, but low productivity and limited access to markets hinder growth. Similarly, forestry resources face pressure due to high usage but low productivity. Challenges include low yields, limited value addition, and scattered farmer organizations. Agribusinesses struggle with limited access to finance and technical support. To address these issues, the government promotes commodity clusters and aims to enhance access to finance. Food insecurity remains high, especially in rural areas, with significant gender disparities in land ownership and decision-making. Climate change further exacerbates challenges in agriculture and forestry, necessitating adaptation measures and international support. Addressing gender gaps is crucial for improving productivity and livelihoods in the agricultural sector.

The Kyrgyz Association of Forest and Land Users (KAFLU), representing 8,000 individual members, aims to address development challenges through the Development and Market Strengthening Opportunity Project (DMSOP). This initiative focuses on three pathways: reducing export barriers for agribusinesses, promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices, and facilitating stakeholder aggregation to enhance competitiveness. The project targets increasing income and food security for smallholder farmers and forest users by promoting sustainable practices, improving market access, and strengthening institutional capacity. Over three years, it aims to enhance food security for 25% of beneficiary households and increase their annual average income by 10%.