Sustainable management will can increase capacity of Suusamyr Valley pastures estimated at $39 mln.
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (07 December 2011) – GEF/UNDP ‘Demonstration of Sustainable Mountain pastures in Suusamyr valley’ presented the project outcomes achieved during the last four years during a conference on “The Best Practices of Pasture Management in Suusamyr Valley” in Bishkek.
The first outcome is the livestock grazing plan developed and integrated in the pilot territory. The second key outcome is an automated Electronic Pasture Committee system, which allows tracking the degradation process on a regular basis and take timely measures on improving management of pasture lands.
"We should replicate this experience on pasture management in Suusamyr Valley all across Kyrgyzstan" stated Torogul Bekov, Minister of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic, in his opening speech. He stressed that Suusamyr Valley, which once was a point of dispute among 4 oblasts, 11 districts and 60 villages, where they would traditionally graze their livestock , now as a result of the project activity are successfully addressing issues on joint management taking into account interests of all pasture users.
In conclusion of the conference participants adopted a resolution, which recommends the Pasture Department of the KR Ministry of Agriculture to replicate best practices of the project, including the inventory and pasture assessment methodology, development of livestock grazing plan taking into account migration corridors of wild animals, utilization of the Electronic Pasture Committee systme and Joint Pasture Management Approach (ashar method) to ensure sustainability of results. Participants of the conference also suggested to replicate a new pasture management regime through the Public Association of Pasture Users in Suussamyr valley, which will become a coordinating body of 80 pasture committees.
Additional information:
Suusamyr Valley is the country’s largest distant pasture livestock breeding center. On more than 415, 000 ha of lands pasture users of 80 rural districts from three provinces: Chuy, Talas and Jalal-Abad graze their livestock. Moreover, it is a unique habitat area for a number of flora and fauna endemics of the region having the global significance. At least 15 animals that inhabit the area are registered in the National Red Book, 5 - in International, including the Tien-Shan Marco Polo sheep, snow leopard, etc.
UNDPGEF “Demonstration of Sustainable Mountain Pastures in Suusamyr valley” Project started in 2008 and will last till 2012. The aim of the project is to develop cost effective and replicable pasture management mechanism, which will reduce negative impacts of grazing livestock on lands and improve livelihoods of rural people. In order to rehabilitate pasture infrastructure the project in 2011 built 45 bridges and reconstructed the most difficult areas of roads, which provided access to 35 thousand ha of mountain pastures. High altitude pasture Sandyk alone has an additional capacity for grazing over 25 000 heads of livestock. In order to improve living conditions of shepherds at distant pastures the project handed over to jamaats (local associations) 12 photoelectrical stations and established a seed base for better provision of quality forage during winters. In 2011 an average yield of barley was 20 centners per ha. In monetary terms income of farmers made up 11 mln. soms (10 soms per kilo).
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