A national brand competition "One Village - One Product" (OVOP) took place in Bishkek, supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). This event brought together farmers and producers from all corners of Kyrgyzstan, providing them with a platform to showcase the best samples of their products.
During the competition, 19 products received special awards, and three of them were honored with gold, silver, and bronze medals by the jury's decision.
Such events serve as an excellent opportunity for mothers of many children and women entrepreneurs from the regions of the country. For many of them, the OVOP project has become a chance to turn home production into a stable business, gain qualified support, and enter new markets.
Today, women in Kyrgyzstan not only take care of the household but also act as successful producers of environmentally friendly products, representing their territories at the national level with dignity.
The guests of the event were pleasantly surprised by the performance of the "Komuz Samurai" group, composed of Japanese volunteers and staff from various missions, who played popular Kyrgyz melodies on the komuz. Throughout the competition, tastings and sales of products were held, allowing participants to demonstrate the high quality and uniqueness of their goods.
Hirano Ryuichi, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to Kyrgyzstan, noted that the "One Village - One Product" project opens significant opportunities for showcasing national products and contributes to their development and promotion on the international stage. He added that the initiative makes an important contribution to supporting local producers and regional development.
The ambassador also emphasized that in 2023, OVOP was officially recognized as a national economic project, which was an important step towards its institutional strengthening. He reminded that the project has been implemented since 2009 and has shown its effectiveness over this time.
"The products of OVOP are characterized by high attractiveness, reflecting the unique culture and traditions of each region of Kyrgyzstan," noted Hirano Ryuichi, adding that it is the authenticity and quality that make these goods competitive and in demand in the market.
The project started in the Issyk-Kul region, known for its fruits, honey, and clean air. Energetic entrepreneurs decided to combine these resources and create environmentally friendly products.
Currently, in the Batken region, they produce jam from apricot and dried apricot pulp, and from the seeds, they make face scrubs, allowing for waste-free production.
The Batken region is a warm and rich land with an abundance of pomegranates, persimmons, figs, and the sweetest apricots.
"We collect wild dried apricots, which usually no one eats, dry them, after which they become hard, and we grind them into flour for cookies in the shape of the 'Aigul' flower, adding rice flour. The result is very healthy cookies," shares Aidan Attakurova, a seller at a farmers' shop in Bishkek.
The Naryn region is famous for livestock breeding, so the focus here is on the production of meat products.
"There is currently a trend towards healthy eating, so people are actively purchasing environmentally friendly products," says food technologist Meerim Abdyrasulova.
The Jalal-Abad region presented pasta made from local pistachios and almonds that grow in this area.
As part of one of the projects, they developed a lip gloss based on beeswax, which trains and helps create new products from local raw materials.
The Aravan district of the Osh region is rich in persimmons, pomegranates, and figs. Entrepreneurs focus on these fruits, producing delicious and healthy products: chips, juices, and powders for food additives.
In Uzgen, they decided to make cookies from corn and rice flour in the shape of the Uzgen Tower, and also, following the advice of Japanese experts, to produce healthy rice tea.
"We are currently working on creating products from rose hips, which are rich in vitamins and necessary for people to replenish beneficial elements," adds coordinator for the Osh region Aigerim Umarbaeva.
