Chon Sary Oy village, Issyk-Kul oblast

Alybaev Duishonbu, who holds a degree in Economics, purchased a land plot and planted apricot seedlings in 2008.  After several years, but the garden neither bore fruit nor brought expected income for the farmer. There was nobody to ask for advice about how to plant, how to water and take care of a garden. When the Kompanion specialist formed a group of 15 farmers to conduct the annual free training in 2015, Duishonbu took this opportunity gladly and regularly attended the initiative trainings in the field school of farmers. The Kompanion agronomist gave useful theoretical lessons and conducted practical classes in the gardens of the each participant by turn. Duishonbu’s mistakes that he made while he was planting the seedlings were also analyzed in the classes. He made too small seedbeds on the stony land, planted the seedlings too close to each other, and bought the seedlings at the market in Chui region. The seedlings were not adapted to the local conditions.

Having gained new knowledge of how to manage a garden, as well as tree trimming and grafting skills, the farmer received his first loan in Kompanion and bought 50 more seedlings from a local nursery. Duishonbu successfully repaid his first loan and boldly invested the borrowed funds in planting the next batch of trees (40 pieces) in 2016. There are not only apricots on his land plot now, but apple trees, cherries, currants and raspberries too. His whole family is engaged in working the land. Duishonbu drew his brother’s family in the work too, thus allowing them to receive additional income.  

After careful consideration and planning, the businessman decided: “I think I will use the next loan to buy the drip irrigation equipment. It will allow reduction of water consumption and labor efforts and will improve the quality and quantity of my crop."