Challenges

In Kyrgyzstan 40 percent of the workforce is employed in the agricultural sector. However, the potential has not been optimized as this sector only accounted for 20 percent of GDP, with more than half sourced from livestock. Some of the causes are outdated technology and lack of skilled staff in livestock breeding and production, including through artificial insemination, and the need for funding.

Toward a Solution

Indonesia has been a significant partner for countries from the Global South by contributing through the framework of South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC). Through SSTC, Indonesia aims to support the common welfare of the population there. This is in line with Indonesia’s National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2020-2024, which is to increase Indonesia’s role in SSTC. One of the best examples of Indonesia SSTC is a Reverse Linkage project, the Development of Artificial Insemination for Livestock for Kyrgyzstan, 2015-2017. The cooperation is implemented as part of the implementation of the Reverse Linkage programme, in collaboration the with Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

Development cooperation on artificial insemination for livestock aims to support livestock productivity in Kyrgyzstan. Its objective is to upgrade the capacity of human resources in Kyrgyzstan to further boost the production of livestock through artificial insemination, while giving the opportunity to Indonesia to promote its expertise and products. The objectives are relevant to the achievement of SDG 17, whereas SSTC is enhanced through the exchange of knowledge on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). It also contributes to the achievement of SDG 8 on higher levels of economic productivity through technological upgrading in labour-intensive sectors.

To achieve the above-mentioned goals, the project implementation focused on several key approaches:

• The cooperation framework uses a robust multi-stakeholder partnership approach by involving various stakeholders – Bappenas, Ministry of Agriculture, the Kyrgyz Scientific Research Institute of Livestock and Pastures (KSRILP), IsDB and the Singosari National Artificial Insemination Centre (SNAIC), among others, as the implementing agency. Bappenas fully supported SNAIC since the diagnostic mission in 2013 and the validation mission in 2014; it also provided support in the formulation of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, the Minister of Agriculture and Melioration of the Kyrgyz Republic and Vice President of the IsDB in 2015; and in the monitoring process until 2017 to ensure the project was integrated in the planning and budgeting process.
• The cooperation framework combined several activities through a series of training workshops and the dispatch of experts in some areas. This involved: 1) Strengthening the institutional management of artificial insemination; 2) Upgrading the value chain of artificial insemination production; 3) Increasing productivity of livestock; and 4) Improving the distribution system/networks of frozen semen. This approach aimed to enhance various approaches in problem solving and in addressing challenges. BBIB has trained at least 86 participants for various artificial insemination trainings and dispatched six experts for three stages to Kyrgyzstan.
• The implementation of the cooperation was based on the strategic alignment principle to support Kyrgyzstan’s existing efforts to improve their livestock productivity. This principle was to make sure the cooperation was implemented based on Kyrgyzstan’s needs and demands.
• The cooperation used a peer-to-peer approach formulated through a peer-to-peer consultation process. Through this Reverse Linkage framework, each partner also contributes to the cooperation both in kind and in cash. This participatory process strengthens the sense of ownership of the project.

All parties have benefited from this cooperation. Kyrgyzstan benefited by improving its human resources knowledge and skills in support of its efforts to establish a strong distribution network of frozen semen products to farmers and to improve the quality of local breeds. For Indonesia, cooperation presented the opportunity to promote its expertise on agriculture, notably regarding artificial insemination. It also provided benefits by creating further potential economic cooperation.

As a follow-up to cooperation, Indonesia  exported 12,500 doses of frozen semen to Kyrgyzstan. This is an example of engagement by state-owned enterprises or the private sector through involvement with SNAIC in terms of resource mobilization, technology, capacity-building, institutional coherence and multi-stakeholder partnerships. This is in line with the SDGs’ “inclusiveness” principle and the modality to ensure sustainability in cooperation.

Referring to the success story of Indonesia-Kyrgyzstan cooperation, the activities were replicated at the request of the Suriname Government in 2020-2023. In 2021, the Government of Nigeria also requested such cooperation. Furthermore, future collaboration can be scaled up to include workshops, training, technical assistance, equipment assistance, expert dispatch, scholarships and research collaboration, as well as encouraging non-state actors in regard to sustainable business-to-business relations.

To better conduct scaled-up projects or future replication some lessons learnt were identified are as follows:

1. Identification of the beneficiary country should consider the implementing agency’s existing facilities and resources and its ability for upgrades and local government support for the project’s sustainability.
2. The impact should generate multiple opportunities in various sectors, such as economic, political, social and cultural for both parties.
3. The project should strengthen private sector involvement for future business-to-business cooperation.