TURKMENISTAN: USAID MISSION DIRECTOR VISITS MARY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000040

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TAGS: PGOV PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: USAID MISSION DIRECTOR VISITS MARY
PROVINCE


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (U) SUMMARY: On December 15, USAID/CAR Regional Mission Director
Bill Frej met with recently appointed Mary Provincial Governor
Kakageldi Gurbanov and visited a local farmers' organization that
has partnered with several USAID projects. Appointed to the
provincial post just one month prior after previously serving as
Mary city mayor, Gurbanov presented a positive demeanor and
suggested more joint farmer-to-farmer interactions would improve
their results. A discussion with USAID's agricultural program
partner, Ilkinjiler, highlighted the disconnect between good
legislation and poor implementation. Participants listed access to
land via long-term term leases, ownership of the outputs, and access
to microfinance as among their leading priorities to increase
productivity in the sector. Others stressed continued education and
advocacy efforts with local government as keys to finding solutions
to pressing challenges. END SUMMARY.


3. (U) During his first visit to Turkmenistan, USAID Regional
Mission Director Bill Frej met with local government officials and
monitored USAID's ongoing programs in Mary province on December 15.
Calling his reception in Turkmenistan the "most embracing" of all
the Central Asian republics, Frej expressed his thanks for the
productive environment for USAID's partners in Mary province. He
noted that Turkmenistan's Ambassador to the U.S. attended his
swearing-in ceremony, which served as a sign of the possibilities
for our bilateral relationship.


4. (U) Gurbanov thanked Frej for his overview of USAID's activities
in Mary and his itinerary, and suggested that he save time for
visiting Mary's historical sites as well. In order to understand a
place well, one needs to visit that place's historical sites. He
also described a visit from a previous Embassy delegation that met
with local farmers, and were pleased to see that the farmers were
being paid for their efforts. The discussion between Embassy staff
and farmers was interesting, but would have been more productive if
the discussion had been farmer-to-farmer instead. In response to
Gurbanov's question about the results of USAID's agricultural
programs, USAID Country Representative provided a brief overview of
USAID-funded projects implemented by Winrock and Counterpart in Mary
and passed information on the new AgLinks program, which supports
private farmers and agribusinesses with market-driven production to
increase their output and incomes. Some of the work planned under
this project includes greenhouse production, drying, packaging,
dairy and veterinary services. Frej closed by stressing that the
United States Government was ready to work in partnership to meet
Turkmenistan's development objectives.

ILKINJILER: EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY PARAMOUNT


5. (U) After meeting with Gurbanov, Frej visited the Ilkinjiler
Farmers' Association in Bayramali district. Ilkinjiler began in
1997 as an informal association of farmers, and was registered as a
limited liability partnership organization in 2000. In 2005, USAID
awarded Ilkinjiler a grant through Counterpart International to
increase farmers' legal awareness on the new land and water laws.
Later in 2005, Counterpart expanded its institutional grant to
establish an Agricultural Resource Center to support the public
advocacy and entrepreneurial capacities of farmers. Under this
project, Ilkinjiler assisted local farmers in conducting needs'
assessment, and provided community development and agricultural
business training programs. As a result of Ilkinjiler's activities,
eight new farmers' groups were established, which implemented local
community development projects.


6. (U) The group's leader presented an overview of Ilkinjiler's
cooperative efforts with various USAID-funded programs, including
Winrock Farmer-to-Farmer and Counterpart Water Users' Association
and Community Empowerment projects. Summarizing his views of the
current situation, he said that since the increase in cotton prices

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mandated by President Niyazov in 2005, farmers' incomes and
livelihoods had improved. Going forward, his hope was that
Turkmenistan's farmers would not be forced to return to the
collective farm system, but that they could draw from the best
international models. To him, this meant that private farming was
the only way forward.


7. (U) Detailing some of Ilkinjiler's recent advocacy efforts, the
leader said that they drafted recommendations with the signatures of
over 200 people for submission to the Mejlis (Parliament) and the
Ministry of Agriculture. The two leading issues were to develop
long-term leases, with the right to inherit land, and granting
farmers' ownership of their outputs, rather than forcing them to
sell a percentage to the state. Another member suggested that
access to microfinance and poor soil quality were important issues.
Overall, the group agreed that a disconnect exists whereby sometimes
good legislation is thwarted by poor implementation. The remedy for
this was to increase the people's education level and to be willing
to advocate for one's rights. To this end, participants recognized
that relations with local government officials were critical and
vowed to continue their engagement with that goal in mind.


8. (U) COMMENT: In a Saturday morning meeting, Mary's new governor
was hospitable and cordial, and welcomed expanded cooperation with
USAID. Deputy Governor Amanova took detailed notes on the
description of USAID's agricultural programs in Mary province, and
dispatched two assistants to accompany USAID's delegation throughout
the day.


9. (U) COMMENT CONTINUED: The pointed comments by Ilkinjiler's
members in front of local government representatives again
demonstrated their oft-cited courage and independence. The group
remains one of the most vocal advocates for its members' rights in
Turkmenistan, with a strongly pro-market orientation. Unlike some
other NGOs, the group's members ask for continued access to
information and U.S. advocacy for their issues in high-level
meetings rather than funding, a recognition that they themselves
hold ultimate responsibility for bringing about positive changes.
USAID's Community Empowerment Project and the recently launched
AgLinks projects will continue to support their local initiatives
through both legal and technical economic assistance. END COMMENT.


10. (U) AID Regional Mission Director William Frej cleared this
cable.

HOAGLAND