OSCE Centre supports computer and business training of Turkmen farmers

ASHGABAD, 3 October 2005 - Developing business and management skills, and using computers to better run projects is the aim of an OSCE-supported seminar for Turkmen farmers which began today in Ashgabad.

The two-day event brought together eight farmers from the Akhal and Lebap regions of the country, as well as two representatives of an agricultural business school in Turkmenabat.

Participants represent volunteer farmer associations (VFA) of Turkmenistan which are involved in a pilot micro-credit project, supported by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabad and the European Union's Technical Aid for CIS Programme.

"This training course will give the VFAs the skills they need to take their work to the next level, get the most of the micro-credit programme, and begin more complex co-operative projects of their own," said Farhat Orunov, the project's local co-ordinator. "All of them are now starting to understand that they are not just farmers, but business people, too."

The seminar, conducted by local experts, is being held at the computer Centre of the Supreme Council of Science and Technology, and represents the first part of a series of OSCE training courses for VFA members.