IFAD Executive Board delegation observes REAP initiatives

my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 1 Nov: Members of the Executive Board of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) visited the IFAD-supported Rural Enterprise Acceleration Project (REAP) in Dehradun on Sunday as part of the Board’s annual country visit. The visit focused on how rural communities move from production to market: processing, adding value, building brands and finding buyers, with access to finance running through all of it.
They witnessed IFAD-financed work on the ground, especially the initiatives with the Centre for Aromatic Plants (CAP) and the Directorate of Sericulture (DOS), and heard directly from the farmers, entrepreneurs and community institutions involved. The delegation, was welcomed by the Project Director, REAP, Director, CAP and Director Sericulture.
At CAP, the delegation visited the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Nurseries, then the Product Lab, where cinnamon products were on display, and then the Aroma Lab and Perfumery. They later interacted with beneficiaries of the CAP initiative and also took keen interest in House of Himalayas (HoH) products that were displayed at CAP.
The delegation also visited the Doon Silk outlet of Sericulture, department. They were given an overview of the silkworm life cycle and the processes involved in converting cocoons into silk. This was followed by a visit to the Weaving Centre and the Outlet, and an interaction with beneficiaries.
Expressing her gratitude, Jharna Kamthan, Project Director, REAP, stated, “We are truly thankful for IFAD’s continued support, guidance and commitment towards inclusive rural development.”
REAP is being implemented by Uttarakhand Gramya Vikas Samiti (UGVS) under the Rural Development Department, Government of Uttarakhand, across all 13 districts and 95 blocks. Since 2022, it has reached around 444,000 rural households and supported over 10,000 micro and small enterprises as well as over 14,000 ultra-poor households.