LocationsFrom Orchard to Chocolate: How Farmers in Aksy District Found a New Solution
October 3, 2025
Timur Subankulov with his wife Dildeayim Akishova on the at the enterprise
In Aksy District of Jalal-Abad, plums have traditionally been an important crop and a source of income for local farmers. However, climate change and the emergence of new diseases and pests threatened both the harvest and the sustainability of local farms. Timur Subankulov, head of the NGO “Muztor,” shares how the sector was preserved and developed, with support from the GEF Small Grants Programme implemented by UNDP.
“I saw farmers, many of whom had worked in orchards their whole lives, struggle as trees began to die. Mulberry scale and shot-hole disease drastically reduced orchard productivity over just a few years. People were losing not only their harvest but also confidence in the future,” recalls Timur.
This challenge sparked the idea of changing the approach—from simply growing plums to processing and marketing them. People told him, “Timur, you’re a dreamer! Where would chocolate come from in our village?” But he believed that local plums deserved more than just being sold as raw fruit.
With UNDP’s support, Timur and his neighbors decided to go beyond growing plums and start producing finished products. They began with four demonstration plots of the “Stanley” plum variety and trained fifty farmers in modern orchard management. To protect the harvest, they switched from chemical pesticides to bio-products. Next, they purchased equipment for drying and producing high-quality prunes. The most innovative step was opening a small workshop where plums are turned into chocolate confections.
The results are tangible. Farmers involved in the project increased their income by about 20 percent. The village gained new jobs: four permanent positions, mainly for women, youth, and persons with disabilities, and twenty seasonal ones. Switching to bio-products also reduced pressure on the soil and the environment.
Timur and his team’s work directly supports Kyrgyzstan’s national priorities: developing regions, supporting farmers, creating jobs, and promoting a green economy. Today, plums from Aksy District are no longer just sold as raw fruit—they are transformed into high-value chocolate products that the country can be proud of.
The “Muztor” project demonstrates that a combination of knowledge, responsibility, and partner support can create sustainable change. Thanks to the efforts of Timur and his team, traditional plum orchards in Aksy District have gained new life through processing, new products, and job creation, strengthening the local economy and building confidence in the future.
The GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), implemented by UNDP, supports community-led initiatives that address global environmental challenges while improving local livelihoods. By funding projects in biodiversity, climate change, land and forest management, international waters, and chemicals, SGP shows that local action can drive global impact.
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