Telling Our Story

Challenge
Each year, Kyrgyzstan falls short by 400,000 metric tons of wheat that is needed to produce bread – one of the major staple foods in the country. One of the reasons of such chronic problem is the lack of quality seeds - Kyrgyzstan’s annual deficit of good seed is estimated at 11,000 -16,000 metric tons. Additionally, the country uses outdated, low yield wheat varieties and applies little other agricultural inputs to maximize harvests.

Challenge
Karakol, a historical city located on the far eastern tip of the Kyrgyz Republic’s scenic Issyk-Kul Lake, is often overlooked by the multitude of tourists who come to the region every year. Most tourists stop at one of the many resorts to the west of the city and never make a detour to explore Karakol.  Though the city contains Kyrgyzstan’s best examples of 19th century architecture, until

“The education loan has enabled me to pursue a university degree and took care of my concerns that there won’t be enough money to pay for the studies,” says 19-year-old Ayman Arymbekova, a at the Academy of Tourism in Bishkek, where she is working towards a degree in tourism management. Arymbekova received this loan through the joint USAID and the Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank’s (KICB) Education Loan Program.

Reforms undertaken by the Government of Kyrgyzstan with the support of USAID are improving the country’s environment for international trade. Kyrgyzstan faces numerous impediments to international trade, including onerous customs procedures and physical distance from ports and markets. Until recently, entrepreneurs trading goods across Kyrgyzstan’s borders had to file 13 documents for each transaction, among the highest number in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. To speed up the process, traders often hired specialized companies to help prepare all the required documentation.