Initiative Aids Hundreds of Rural Residents in Establishing Personal Enterprises
In the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan, the "Aul Amanaty" program has issued over 670 microloans since its inception, creating nearly a thousand jobs. Launched in 2023 as a nationwide effort to boost rural incomes, the program is set to expand its support this year, focusing on around 300 agricultural projects.
At a recent meeting, Anuar Tulyubekov, the head of the regional department of agriculture, discussed the program's progress. The initiatives, disbursed at an annual interest rate of 2.5%, amounted to nearly 5.6 billion tenge and primarily benefited livestock farming.
Preliminary rural district screenings revealed the region's agricultural specializations. As a result, the livestock population in the region has increased by 16,594 heads compared to the initial year. Moreover, 105 units of agricultural equipment have been purchased, enabling the renewal of 22% of the region's equipment for agricultural cooperatives and personal subsidiary farms.
Cooperatives can secure microloans of up to 30 million tenge to fund projects in livestock farming, crop farming, agricultural product processing, and non-agricultural businesses this year. According to Tulyubekov, funds are allocated for issuing 296 microloans for such projects.
Three pilot districts—Aktogay, Bukhar-Zhyrau, and Karqaraly—have been identified for lending, focusing on the implementation of the 'One village, one product' principle. In these districts, funds will be directed towards creating cooperatives and supporting new projects.
Training programs have been conducted for village leaders, resulting in the establishment of numerous agricultural cooperatives. In the Bukhar-Zhyrau district alone, 21 cooperatives have been established, creating 350 jobs. In other districts, various initiatives, such as the production of meat semi-finished products and the construction of milk processing plants, are underway.
Ermakhanbet Bulakpaev, the region's head, has been tasked with identifying a new pool of projects to support under the "Aul Amanaty" program. The SPK "Saryarka" will ensure timely disbursement of microloans to facilitate these initiatives.
[Enrichment Data - For reader convenience, it's worth noting that programs like "Aul Amanaty" often aim to support rural development by providing financial assistance, technical support, and resources to farmers and rural entrepreneurs. They typically offer grants, low-interest loans, or subsidies, provide education on modern farming techniques, facilitate market access, and invest in rural infrastructure.]
An entrepreneur in the Karaganda region could apply for a microloan through the "Aul Amanaty" program to fund their small-business in agriculture, such as livestock farming or crop farming. The program focuses on providing microloans for agricultural product processing and non-agricultural businesses as well, and aims to issue 296 such loans this year.
With the support of training programs and the "Aul Amanataray" program, rural entrepreneurs in the Karaganda region, like those in Bukhar-Zhyrau district, have established agricultural cooperatives and created numerous jobs, such as the 350 jobs created by the 21 cooperatives established in Bukhar-Zhyrau district alone.
