Delegation from Kazakhstan visited Hungary to study the experience of rural development in the framework of the FAO project “Investment Support for Smallholders to Develop a Food Value Chain in Kazakhstan” and participated in the Third Regional Workshop on Integrated Community Development, El.kz cites MFA.
The delegation included the Vice-Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Baurzhan Omarbekov, a member of the Committee on Agrarian Affairs of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Ashimbetov, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Association of Farmers, Kazakh Research Institute of Agricultural Economy and Rural Development, and Institute of Economic Research.
Meetings were held at the Ministry of Agriculture and the Committee on Agrarian Affairs of the Hungarian National Assembly. Kazakh experts were introduced to the tools to develop and promote entrepreneurship in rural areas, improve cooperative processes and improve access to public services, as well as industrial and social infrastructure in rural areas.
During the visit, a delegation traveled to the regions to learn about Hungary's rural development and rural tourism strategy, visited a number of productive farms, and held a seminar on the role of local food systems and youth in rural/community development.
The Kazakh delegation also took part in the Third Regional Workshop on Integrated Community Development at National and Local Levels, organized by the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia of FAO jointly with the FAO Liaison and Partnership Office in Kazakhstan.
The workshop provided a platform to discuss and present the main results of FAO research on best practices in integrated community development and territorial approaches in Europe and Central Asia. The workshop also facilitated the exchange of practical experiences, lessons learned and different approaches to rural development, including the EU LEADER approach for non-EU countries.