Despite the increasing significance of urban and semi-urban agglomerations in terms of poverty alleviation and natural resources consumption, rural areas remain the main target of pro-poor development interventions. Securing livelihoods and enabling development in rural areas is indispensable in order to curb migration to the cities and preserve agricultural productivity.

ECO develops solutions for sustainable rural development by taking the target region's existing natural resources, its population's capacities and the potential of cooperation partners as a basis. Participation and ownership are encouraged through pursuit of a strictly demand-oriented way of operation, of empowerment approaches and of open processes for shared decision-making. Mutual coordination of multiple donor assistance in view of developing synergies and ensuring long-term support deserve to be at the centre of attention. Non-governmental organizations and grassroots initiatives are valuable pulsers and implementation partners in any intervention.

Development of microeconomic framework conditions, private sector development, income generation, social infrastructure improvement and rehabilitation/development of natural resources are intersecting: An optimized utilization of resources can foster households' accumulation of private capital, which again is the prerequisite for small-scale enterprises, nutritional security and long-term value generation from of natural resources. Subsidiary funds, credit programmes and innovative local trusts can deliver the necessary financial support. To have projects gain momentum ECO endorses the development of relationships of mutual trust between community and project staff, by means such as extension, capacity building and local organizational development of user groups.

Our services include:

• Design, implementation, M&E of projects and programmes
• Institutional advice to poverty reduction and food security in rural areas
• Rural development and land use management
• Development of production and marketing chains for basic food in the frame of nutritional security measures
• Rural credit and investment schemes

Agrosystem patterns, viewed from satellite

Family in Kazakhstan: Food security and salinity of freshwater remain critical issues.

Your contact:
Dietrich Busacker