On 24-25 October 2007, the Area-Based Development Program (ABD) held presentations of two microcredit products in Nihan and Kitab districts of Kashkadarya region. The products were designed within the ABD Program initiated by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and will be provided to dehkan and farming entities of the above districts through Kashkadarua regional department of Business Women Association.

The products are piloted within the frameworks of ABD microfinance component. The microcredits’ development and piloting aim at ensuring target approach to available resource utilization and expand access to financial resources to the target groups. Nishan and Kitab regions will be provided with approximately 100 credits.

Microcredit product for Nishan district was designed as a result of the surveys conducted among local banks and households. The survey illustrated strong demand for livestock microcredits. This comes from the situation when most part of population has broad opportunities and experience in cattle breeding. However most farmers still lack circulating capital and suffer from limited access to banks’ financial resources. The designed microfinance product allows to expand access for dehkan, farming entities and individual entrepreneurs to financial resources for cattle procurement and fattening.

Microfinance product for Kitab district is designed for enhancing vinery quality and volume through timely land treatment, substitution of wine grapes to table grapes, and trellising. The product was developed based on the poll conducted among 150 farming entities of the district.

ABD microfinance component covers piloting and development of a wide range of microfianance services including but not limited to credits for short-term circulating capital for small traders. The component also aims at contributing to expanding access to microfinance services in rural areas for private farming and dehkan entities, entrepreneurs and low-income households.