KHUJAND, September 1, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- The Canada-based MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) has completed a project in Khujand, Sughd province, investing a total of 600,000 US dollars in three small enterprises in the province. 

MEDA has implemented the ProPoor Agricultural Development Project in Tajikistan, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).  

Mr. Bradley Biller, MEDA representative in Tajikistan, told Asia-Plus that those funds had been invested in three agro-processing enterprises in northern Tajikistan, including limited liability company Tajfrukt and Market Plus in Isfara and Elite Istaravshan in Istaravshan, on a share basis (50x50).  The funds have been used to purchase Turkish-made equipment for cleaning, drying and packing fruits.

“Our main objective was to raise competitiveness of these enterprises in global markets.  Local apricots, dried and packed on the up-to-date equipment, now look much better,” said Mr. Biller.  “Russian entrepreneurs visited one of these enterprises recently and were satisfied with quality of their products and concluded delivery contracts with it.  Besides, other Sughd enterprises also wanted to install such equipment.”

To make these enterprises more sustainable under the conditions of electricity shortages MEDA has provided them with solar water heaters and solar batteries.

MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) is an association of compassionate business women and men who invest in the lives of families living in poverty around the world.  Its microfinance mission includes providing innovative and sustainable access to savings and credit for the poor.