Tropentag, September 17 - 19, 2014 in Prague, Czech Republic "Bridging the gap between increasing knowledge and decreasing resources"

Agroforestry Practices in Kyrgyzstan

Aga Khan Foundation, University of Central Asia, Mountain Societies Research Center, Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

Accepted as a new term for old practices, agroforestry became very popular in many countries, being a source of additional income, higher yields, combating poverty and ensuring food security. The environmental role of agroforestry also should not be underestimated, since it plays a significant role in conservation of soil, carbon fixation and decreasing pressure on natural forests. The given research aimed to analyse existing research and determine possibilities and practical value of agroforestry in Kyrgyzstan.

Trees play an important role in agriculture being a source of fruits, timber, protecting yields as wind breaks, maintaining biodiversity, accumulating water in soil, protecting slopes from run-off, sourcing local communities by non-timber products, and being an aesthetic asset. It should also be mentioned, that there are number of practices demonstrating the role of trees in rehabilitating arid, salinized or water-logged land (degraded lands), enabling such plots for agricultural use. Unstable fodder production in Kyrgyzstan has led to the degradation of pastures, the main source for livestock sector. Arable lands are limited (12 % of total land area is classified as agricultural), with a high risk of slope ersion and an increasing area of degraded land. All this make Kyrgyzstan a region were all kinds of agroforestry systems could be applied.
The poster will cover the issues described above providing figures and tables to support the use of agroforestry in the country and its potential from socio-economic and environmental points of view.

Keywords: Agroforestry, environment protection, food security, Kyrgyzstan, land degradation

Contact Address: Klara Dzhakypbekova, Aga Khan Foundation, University of Central Asia, Mountain Societies Research Center, Arstanbap 171, 720082 Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, e-mail: klara.dzhakypbekovaucentralasia.org