Assistance International distributes fruit trees

In 2018 Assistance International started working with local farmers on intensive fruit tree production.  If planted close together, fruit trees can be productive and profitable even in a small village yard. Yielding large amounts of fruit, intensive fruit production can be a real contributor to family income.  The families in the project learn improved and best practices such as pruning, integrated pest management, and harvest processing.  This prepares them to later invest themselves in larger orchards.

20 families
Assistance International distributed fruit tree seedlings to 20 families, including a few experienced farmers but also vulnerable families. Our staff taught lessons about intensive orchard methods including pruning and irrigation for seedlings.  One key concept is to keep the trees small and to not let the branches grow to high. This intensifies the fruit production and doesn’t waste energy on growing big branches. Also, picking and pruning are easier!

This first season Assistance International is working together with beneficiaries to monitor growth, and to note and solve possible problems. Program results need to be proven yet, since it takes several years for fruit tree seedlings to produce fruit. Together we hope to establish best practices for small scale intensive fruit tree growing and provide another way of better income for families in Tajikistan.