Community Action in Integrated and Market Oriented Feed Livestock Producton in Central and South Asia Project: First Technical Report (Draft) on Theme 1 Socioeconomics for the period 1 June 2006 to 31 December 2007

Abstract

The activity 16 “Value added local processing of goat fibers by women and assessing the characteristics of naturally colored mohair and the potentials for its marketing” collaborates with Angora goat producers and women’s groups in the Sugd region on producing value-added yarn and knitted products for export. Export of yarn and knitted products has the potential to help rural women in the region to increase their earnings and raise their families out of poverty. In order to produce luxury yarns, the Tajik spinners need access to high quality mohair fiber. Production of quality mohair in turn requires good breeding practices and animal husbandry. The project collaborates with Angora goat farmers and local and international breeding experts on developing new breeding programs to improve fiber quality and produce mohair suitable for spinning high priced, luxury yarns. The work on goat breeding, mohair processing and export of value-added products such as yarn is expected to facilitate collaborative linkages among all stakeholders – goat farmers, scientists, spinners and consumers of mohair products - and lead to considerable increases in the incomes from mohair producers and processors. Most mohair processing in Tajikistan is done by poor rural women who will be the greatest beneficiaries of the project activities.