The project was initiated by Welthungerhilfe in January 2006, with a foreseen duration of 30 months (01.01.2006 - 30.06.2008), and with the objective referring to the improvement of the nutritional status and purchasing capacity of vulnerable, food insecure rural households in 22 selected villages of Ayni and Gorno Matcha district, Zeravshan Valley, Tajikistan. In order to reach this objective, three main components were carried out: • Improvement of drinking water supply systems and hygienic conditions • Provision of inputs and know-how for improved sustainable production, storage and processing of agricultural and horticultural products • Establishment of marketing structures for cash-crops During the ongoing period of project implementation, the overall political and social conditions allowed an undisturbed implementation of the project. Over the winter season 2007-2008, extremely low temperatures caused heavy losses of stored agricultural products, thus drastically affecting the food security of the rural population and the availability of seeds. As a consequence of this the number of men migrating to Russia was considerably higher than in previous years. During the second half of the implementation period, an increasing inflation rate produced a rise in prices for food, fuel, building materials and other items, thus restraining construction / rehabilitation activities of rural infrastructures like drinking water supply systems and storage facilities.
