Is funded by the Russian Federation and implemented by UNDP in the Kyrgyz Republic in cooperation with national partners in accordance with the frame partnership agreement between UNDP and Russia.

The programme has an incentive effect and serves as a focal ground for linking planned activities with other UNDP programmes and other development partners.

Given the specifics of the region, as well as the increased sensitivity to potential conflicts among the local population, the Program focuses on creating economic opportunities for high-risk groups and communities aimed at reducing their vulnerability in short and long terms. Efforts to diversify economic activities, improve access to water, reduce unemployment among rural youth and rehabilitation of the socio-economic infrastructure, as well as sustainable use of resources reduces the dependence of rural communities on controversial natural resources such as water and land.

The main objective of the UNDP programme is to assist the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in creating conditions for conflict prevention and ensuring sustainable human development in Osh oblast.

The programme creates various opportunities for vulnerable groups and communities at-risk through the implementation of integrated and interrelated measures for economic activities, improving access to water, employment and rehabilitation of socio-economic infrastructure.

Main outputs of the project:

1. Sustainable agriculture, tourism, trade and promotion of “green” technologies;
2. Access of rural communities to sustainable water supply;
3. Rehabilitation of socio-economic infrastructure in rural communities;
4. Increasing employment opportunities among population through improving the system of vocational education;
5. Strengthening the resistance of local communities to natural disasters.

PROGRAM BUDGET is 3,5 million USD.

Key achievements for 2016:

• The pilot communities were selected and their development priorities identified based on a comprehensive socio-economic review, analysis of the specifics development gaps, comparative advantages and development opportunities. The selection of target communities, results of their capacity assessment and development priorities was widely consulted and endorsed by the national stakeholders, including regional and district state administrations and local communities.
• Series of local consultations have been delivered with the engagement of various stakeholders at all levels to ensure cross-sectorial approach to the interventions and clear buy-in.
• Massive awareness raising campaign was organized to inform local stakeholders on the Project outcomes and specific interventions. UNDP facilitated an active interaction of local communities and local self-government to create common understanding on the opportunities that exist to reduce vulnerability through various economic activities, improved access to water, environmental security, generation of employment and rehabilitation of social and economic infrastructure.

Key achievements for 2017:

• Program activities were successfully used for achieving synergy between different UNDP program areas, for coordinating efforts and distributing resources together with other international organizations, including the GIZ Program on economic development of Osh province and on vocational and technical education, the OSCE, and the Aga Khan Foundation, which contributed to cut expenditures while achieving results.
• The strategic planning with the combination of the national programs and local development plans has been effectively used with clear commitment of local authorities to participate in the life of the community and meaningful participation of ordinary citizens in decision making processes.
• Taking into consideration the importance of cost-sharing in community initiatives and the sustainability of activities, the Program has achieved significant success, as the input of the Government in 2017 composed 245 303 US dollars and, depending on the complexity of initiatives, ranged from 10% to 63% of their total cost.
• A key approach used by the Program in the implementation of its goals was to involve communities (through the work of local development committees) in identifying development priorities in villages, monitoring program initiatives to increase a sense of ownership and responsibility for the community infrastructure. Besides, implementation of project activities included a mechanism of a pointed multi-sector principle with the involvement of as many stakeholders as possible.

Key achievements for 2018:

• The Programme has supported 102 projects with the total value of USD 1,676,374 designed to improve access to economic opportunities and public services for local communities. The Government of the KR has demonstrated its high commitment to the projects implementation by contributing from 16% to 41% of the overall projects’ value (depending on complexity of initiatives). 
• 193,295 rural citizens have benefited from improved quality of drinking water and irrigation water supply, secondary and pre-school education, medical services. This has been achieved through the grant Programme used to finance the rehabilitation of 15 water supply pipelines, 4 headworks, 5 intra-farm channels, 8 secondary schools, 7 kindergartens, 3 sports playgrounds/stadiums, 1 local convention center, street lights in 12 communities, and equipment for 5 health providers. 
• 44,149 beneficiaries (25,434 men and 18,715 women) benefited from the Programme’s activities focusing on improved opportunities for employment, access to financial, natural and productive resources, and well as markets at the local, national, regional and international levels. 
• Long-term and temporary employment has been provided to 1,638 persons (1,197 men and 447 women), including permanent jobs for 157 persons (93 men and 64 women). Access to short-term employment has been facilitated by organization of civil works for 1,464 persons (1,091 men and 373 women). The civil works organized jointly with the UN World Food Programme at 15 objects of social infrastructure have enabled the local communities earn over 50 tons of flour and over 5 tons of oil. 
• Demonstration of the model of Service delivery centers tested in pilot municipalities of Osh province operating as “single-window «centers at the regional level has induced a lot of interest of the State Agency for local self-government and ethnic relations towards replication of these successful practices in other municipalities across the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan. 
• 261 persons (204 men and 57 women) apply the available evidence of successful application of the new technologies in agriculture and health care provided by the experts of the Federal center of agricultural consultation and training and the Russian society of cardio-vascular surgeons. 4 companies have been able to grow their exports via agreements with various agricultural scientific research institutes and leading Russian companies that agreed to share commercial information. 
• Focusing on increasing economic activities among rural women, the Programme has created an environment to facilitate economic empowerment of 47 women who left informal employment (in shadow economy) and entered the formal labor market. This has resulted from joint efforts involving business communities supporting 27 business projects aimed at development of the market for agricultural produce, rural youth employment and rehabilitation of 75 objects of the social economic infrastructure. 
• Improved quality of medical services with the implication of new technologies in diagnostics of cardiovascular diseases has allowed to provide proper medical examination for 2,310 persons (including 878 women) from remote areas by installing the medical equipment procured through the Programme, namely Electrocardiography (ECG) devices with a function of automatic deciphering and automatic external defibrillators (AED) linked to the common server at the Osh regional hospital. Since the installation of the new cardio-equipment, 10 cases have been identified as critical. 
• Mobilization of additional resources from the Kyrgyz diaspora in Russia shows evidence of the highly promising source of additional funding for implementation of the local development plans: over 800 labor migrants from Russia have donated USD 20,223 (18% of the total cost of the projects implemented jointly with the migrant community) to rehabilitate 4 objects of the social economic infrastructure in the Osh province. 
• On February 8, 2019 during the meeting of Osh State authorities and partners with participation of Prime Minister, UNDP received an award as “The Best International Organization 2018” for integrated support to fostering sustainable human development in Osh province.

• The Project supported 24 project activities for a total amount of USD $930,044 aiming at economic empowering and improving access to public/municipal services for local communities. The contribution of the LSGs amounted to 284,706 USD.
• 8,145 beneficiaries (5,741 men and 2,404 women) benefited from the activities focused on improved opportunities for employment, access to financial, natural and productive resources, and well as local, national, regional and international markets.
• Long-term and temporary employment was provided to 115 persons (88 men and 27 women), including long- term employment of 32 persons (17 men and 15 women). Part-time jobs were provided for 83 persons (71 men and 15 women). Public works were organized jointly with WFP at two social infrastructure sites, and enabled community members to get over 10 tons of flour and over 2 tons of oil as a compensation for volunteering in labor works.
• Through close cooperation with Russian research institutes and institutions, local farmers and relevant stakeholders have received valuable experience and knowledge for application of the new technologies in horticulture, seed production, rice production, beekeeping, sheep and cattle breeding for further implementation; 2,250 farmers (1,904 men and 350 women) are using new knowledge in their every-day practice;
• Implementation of the proven model for public service centers based on a single-window principle in Osh oblast municipalities generated considerable interest in the State Agency for Local Self-Governance and Inter-Ethnic Relations, who is taking steps towards replication of these successful practices in other municipalities across the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan.
• Capacity building and providing additional services in the field of disaster medicine through the mobile medical unit establishment in the Separate Republican Rescue Team of the MES KR.

• The budget of the project is $ 3.7 million. Local governments made a contribution of $ 537 and a half million dollars - which amounted to about 18% of the total amount of projects. Within 3 years, the Project covered 30 villages from 17 municipalities of Osh Oblast.
• A total of 215 projects were supported, 200 thousand residents of Osh Oblast received improved access to economic opportunities and public services.
• 322 permanent jobs were created, 159 of them for women. 2002 people were provided with the temporary work, of which 544 were women.
• 382 informational events were held, 63751 beneficiaries were trained at them, 31204 of them were women.

In February 2020, a Project Board Meeting was the participation of the representatives of the Trust Fund "Russia-UNDP" and the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Osh.

More information on final project results for 2016-2019 can be found in our photo-brochure and video.

Status: Finilized

Start date: July 1, 2016

Projected end date: December 30, 2019

Geographic coverage: Osh province (30 pilot villages in 17 municipalities of Kara-Kulzha, Nookat and Uzgen districts)

Subject area: Social-economic development

Project coordinator: Mira Subankulova

Partners: Ministry of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Local Governments of Osh Region, business community.

Integrated Development of Osh oblast. Final project results 2016-2019