Cooperative development as a response to crisis: The Ishker KG Women's Cooperative in Kyrgyzstan
Women farmers continue to be at a disadvantage position with limited access to resources, financial services, and government subsidies, among other things. Aside from farm work, women take care of their children and the elderly. Thus, the multiple crises such as the pandemic, extreme weather events, and increase in agri input prices due to the Ukraine-Russia war leave them in a desperate situation. To respond to such challenges, 8 women entrepreneurs with support from the Kyrgyzstan Association of Forest and Land Users (KAFLU) established the Ishker KG cooperative to provide advisory services on ways to increase the production of organic products to meet market demand, address the challenges related to access to high-quality seeds and fertilizers, create jobs for poor families, protect the environment, and advance women’s rights. Moreover, they have organized themselves to be able to supply the market demand (local and export market) of 60 tons of nuts, 20 tons of peeled pistachios, and 40 tons of capers and other fruits.