Strengthening rural development through appropriate land use and disaster risk reduction

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Tajikistan is the country most affected by climate change and at the same time the poorest in Central Asia. Scarcity of natural resources and a lack of alternative sources of income lead to overgrazing and deforestation and, as a result, to continued degradation of productive resources as well as landslides and floods. The FC measure Strengthening rural development through adapted land use and disaster risk reduction promotes rural development in selected districts of Tajikistan (Khovaling, Muminabad, Rasht, Panjakent and Kulob City) by reducing the risk of natural disasters. On the basis of integrated land use plans for sustainable forest and pasture management, water catchment areas are reforested and managed sustainably, the population is provided with firewood-saving technologies, and individual infrastructure measures are implemented to protect against erosion and flooding. Depending on local disaster vulnerability and the possibility of implementing integrated forest and pasture management approaches, micro-water catchment areas are selected in the districts using various criteria. Energy-saving technologies and small infrastructure measures will be used in addition in places with functional links to forestry and pastoral activities. The measure is financed through a grant (EUR 20 million). The target group of the measure is the forestry and pastoral users living in the project districts and the population affected by natural disasters. Participatory, integrated and catchment-oriented forest and pastoral management will help to increase sustainability and reduce the risks of erosion, drought, landslides and floods. In addition, appropriate protective structures will help to reduce the existing residual risk of landslides and floods.