n the Batken region of Kyrgyzstan, an innovative way has been found to turn degraded lands into a source of income and sustainable development, EastFruit reports .

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) , residents of the village of Kara-Suu in the Leilek district have begun growing rose hips on low-yield plots suffering from drought and landslides.

The project was part of a larger initiative by FAO, UN Women and the Roza Otunbayeva Initiative Foundation to strengthen the capacity of women’s organizations to adapt to climate change. FAO provided more than 2,200 rosehip seedlings and fencing materials, and introduced a drip irrigation system for efficient water use, 24 kg reports .

“There are no free fields in our village, so all our harvest grows in the gardens,” said Mamakhaba Ormosheva, the leader of the initiative group. “Thanks to the project, we have the opportunity to cultivate land that was considered unsuitable. But most importantly, women who were at home have an excellent opportunity to earn additional income.”

Rose hips, rich in vitamin C, will become an additional source of income for 15 families. Plans are in place to expand plantings to further develop the village’s economic potential.

https://east-fruit.com/novosti/mestnye-zhiteli-vysadili-sazhenczy-shipovnika-ot-fao-na-maloproduktivnyh-zemlyah-batkenskoj-oblasti-kyrgyzstan/