The workshop: JICA Environmental and Social Considerations in the Horticulture Value Chain Promotion Project (HVCPP), and Gender Mainstreaming in HVCPP" took place on December 20-21.

The workshop covered all issues related to the implementation of Tasks 3 and 4 on building the capacity of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) on environmental and social management and gender mainstreaming, assisting the PIU in monitoring and reporting the project results to JICA.

This training also included an analysis of the findings of the PFIs on environmental and social risk assessment and gender mainstreaming in the supported sub-projects. The project shared case studies collected during the visits to Samarkand, Bukhara and Fergana regions, and the results of the discussions with farmers who benefited from the TSL loans and support provided by the involved PFIs, as well as the results of the discussions with the owners of the selected demonstration plots in these areas.

Cross-cutting issues were identified, including best practices in water-saving technologies in agriculture, energy conservation and efficiency, prevention of soil erosion and land degradation, waste management, use of chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers) in the horticulture sector, biodiversity conservation, community welfare, access to credit for women entrepreneurs, labor issues, occupational health and safety issues under the HVCPP project, cultural impacts and all other related issues.

The workshop participants familiarized themselves with the commitments to implement environmental and social standards in accordance with JICA's Environmental and Social Considerations, including the process of conducting environmental and social assessment under the Horticulture Value Chain Promotion Project in Uzbekistan. Also, the participants practiced how to integrate a gender approach into the Horticulture Value Chain Promotion Project.