At the end of March, practitioners from Kashka-Suu and Alaiku took part in a seminar focused on exchange of knowledge and experience on development of value chains of sheep wool, wild berries, such as sea-buckthorn and currant, and medical herbs. During the seminar, RDF experts presented the results of the research conducted in the projet on “Sustainable Land Management in Pamir-Alai Region” in 2010. The participants then discussed on the issues of future collaboration activities among producers, processors, middlemen and sellers of wool, wild berries and medical herbs.
The seminar participants shared their experience and presented their own observations and opinions, discussed on common obstacles and difficulties, and suggested ideas on on future collaboration and development. This seminar gave an important opportunitiy for producers and processors from Kashka-Suu and Alaliku, middlemen and sellers from Osh oblast to talk to each other face-to-face, and to gain new knowledge in order to adjust networks for future participatory initiatives.
According to Asan Tajibaev, a seminar participant who came from Achysuu village, “I am deeply thankful to the organizers for inviting me to this event. It was useful for me, as I learned new information and received new knowledge. I saw a real man who processes wool and succeeds in selling wool products. This seems like full of hope, as being a wool producer, I have not seen the prospects of this field. We exchanged contacts and will be in touch.”
At the end of the seminar, participants came up with practical ideas and suggestions, one of which was to create small cooperatives and marketing network for produced items.