Download Handicraft ad Business through Regional Integration and Fair Trade

Project funded by the
European Union
Handicraft ad Business through Regional Integration and Fair Trade Market
Launched in 2007, Central Asia Invest is the European Union program that promotes the development of the private sector, especially of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Cesvi, together with its local partners NASMB (National Association of Small and Medium Businesses of Tajikistan), UCT (Union of Craftsmen of Tajikistan) and BBC (Bishkek Business Club),
is implementing in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan the Project “Handicraft and Business through
Regional Integration and Fair Trade Market”, funded under the third edition of the Central
Asia Invest. The Project will contribute to the development of Tajik and Kyrgyz private sectors,
reinforcing the capacities of handicraft BIOs and enhancing regional integration and cooperation
in the sector. The Italian partner PromoFirenze, special Agency of the Chamber of Commerce of
Florence, with a proven track record of internationalization of Small and Medium Enterprises, will
guarantee the external projection of the Action and its outcomes.
What is a BIO?
It is a public or private sector operator representing
SMEs. It can be a chamber of commerce, a regulatory body promoting trade, investment or commercial activity, an industrial and professional association, an employers’ federation promoting trade,
investment and commercial activities or a nongovernmental organization concerned with working
with SMEs.
Regional integration, but why?
Many issues are better addressed at Regional, rather
than National level. This is particularly the case of
those which focus on developing intra or interregional ties. Development in areas such as the environment, energy and business development,
clearly demand good cooperation and coordination,
if they are to achieve the best results. The EU established several Regional programs to address
those areas, of which the Central Asia Invest is one.
ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY
The Action has been conceived to achieve results whose benefits will persist after the end of the
external funding. Capacity building is therefore an essential component of the Project: local BIOs
will be directly responsible or actively involved in the organization of all the activities, so as to build
their ownership and contribute to the sustainability of the achieved results.
On the macro level, the Action attaches great importance to the promotion of an enabling policy
environment, where BIOs and their SMEs can thrive and fully express their skills. For this reason,
the Project works in the field of policy reform, in particular advocating for the establishment of a
consistent legislative framework in both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Among the main activities:
 Study Tour in Europe for State officials and BIOs;
 Roundtables with State authorities to improve the legislative framework in the handicraft sector;
 Two Conferences on handicraft as a business opportunity (one in Tajikistan, one in Kyrgyzstan);
 Development of a Regional Newsletter for handicraft operators;
 Creation of centralsianHandicraft.org website, embedding multimedia resource center for artisans;
 Training of trainers for BIOs on management, marketing and export, legal issues and PCM;
 Participatory workshops on development of new craft products oriented to the market;
 Exchange of experiences between Tajik and Kyrgyz craftsmen;
 Organization of two Handicraft Fairs (one in Tajikistan, one in Kyrgyzstan);
 BIOs’ participation in EXPO Milan 2015 and presentation of new product catalogues.
What is Fair Trade?
“Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue,
transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by
offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights
of, marginalized producers and workers”. (World Fair
Trade Organization, www.wfto.com).
“The great rewards of globalized trade have come to some,
but not to others. What is needed is to create conditions for a
fuller and fairer sharing of the enormous benefits from trade.
Can this be done without destroying the global market economy? The answer is firmly yes.” (Amartya Sen, Nobel
Prize Winner in Economic Sciences).
EXPECTED RESULTS
Tajik and Kyrgyz BIOs will reinforce their capacity to support SMEs operating in the handicraft sector, which represents not only a Central Asia cultural heritage, but also a business opportunity with
huge development potentials. Three main results will be achieved:
 BIOs will increase their capacity to influence State actors and policies in favor of handicraft SMEs;
BIOs will strengthen their role and improve their technical skills;
BIOs will increase their capacity to assist SMEs in approaching the internal and foreign markets.
Contact Details:
Cеsvi Tajikistan
16, Firdavsi, Dushanbe
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel. +992 446 006 302/ 37 24 67 28
Website: www.cesvi.eu
Facts and figures
 Countries of action: Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan;
 Total Budget: 587.183 EUR;
 Co-funding: Cesvi (84.366 EUR); PromoFirenze
(3.711 EUR);
 Duration: from January 2014 to January 2016;
 Main implementing Agency: Cesvi (Italy);
 Partner organizations: UCT and NASMB
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(Tajikistan); BBC (Kyrgyzstan); PromoFirenze
(Italy);
Legislative framework in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will improve, so as to regulate handicraft
as a strategic business opportunity;
Two target BIOs will achieve full sustainability;
At least 200 SMEs will have access to Central
Asia multimedia resource centre;
50% of trained staff will be women;
At least 10 new products with innovative design
will be launched on the market.
Visit the Project’s official website: