The Organic Development Federation held the 10th anniversary exhibition-fair of organic agricultural products, which this year the organizers gave the name EcoFest “Op Maida”. On October 22-23-24, the main final event of organics in the framework of the annual agricultural exhibition “AGROTECHEXPO” together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Regional Development of the Kyrgyz Republic took place on the Old Square of the capital.
Holding an exhibition-fair of producers and processors of organic and natural products has become a tradition for FOD and a gastronomic holiday for residents and guests of the capital.
The event was held within the framework of the Initiative of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic “Days of Green Economy-2021”. The theme of the autumn eco-festival was dedicated to the organic and natural products fair of BIO-KG farmers.
The fair got the name “Op Maida” not by chance – the folk song of the same name was performed in the old days solo or unison ensemble, as a rule, in the autumn, when Kyrgyz farmers, completing the spring-summer farming season, threshed crops and sang together. In a broad sense, this phrase means the gratitude of farmers to nature for a good harvest and the unification of the efforts of peasants to collect various gifts of nature. With this word, the organizers wanted to emphasize the uniqueness of the traditions and customs of farmers of Kyrgyzstan, which is now closely intertwined with the achievements of modernity.
This year’s fair was significantly different in concept from previous years. Firstly, the emphasis was placed on the green economy through 4 components: plastic-free, waste management, paper savings through the transition to QR codes, and the disposal of food waste in compost (according to the norms of the organic agriculture).
The best organic farms took part in the Eco-Festival:
Представители Representatives of 10 organic aymaks
1 cooperative with organic certificate (San Planets)
Representatives of SPU (PGAE Project)
about 30 processors
6 representatives of companies for the sale and/or production of biological products
Представители Representatives of handicrafts.
Unlike previous Fairs, in 2021 organic farmers made up the bulk of the Fair’s participants (about 70%).
About 15,000 people attended the EcoFest, not counting the total attendance of Adgoteshechro, where the figures are higher.