Zhanartu-2 (Rehabilitation of biodiversity of tamarisk-wormwood-saltwort ecosystem on degraded overflow lands around “Zhangeldy” aul by reduction of pasture over-usage and creation of places of artificial fodder crops production on irrigated lands belonging to the local community) (KAZ/00/01)

Project Details & Results

Desertification keeps aggressing villages and auls. As it was indicated in the Strategic Environmental Program of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the main reasons are not only draughty climatic conditions but also antropogenic factors. These factors affected negatively Aral region, not only the territory close to the sea, but also Sur-Daria river banks, particularly ecosystems of overflow lands inhibited by the main part of population in Kzyl-Orda and north-west South Kasahkstan oblasts. In recent years, the excessive use of overflow lands ecosystems is also caused by transition period crisis. The main part of local population is unable either to move its thin cattle to distant pastures or to produce fodder in place of residence. In other words, absence of fodder leads to overgrazing, the latter leads to beating pastures down and to degradation of lands around places of residence. At present such negative facts are characteristic for all arid lands in Kasazkhstan.

The main project tasks:
1. Restoration of degraded land and vegetation near the village “Zhangeldy” through proper use of pastures;
2. Creation of own forage production on irrigated land belonging to farmers and members of local community;
3. Teaching of members of local community on pasture ecology: conducting of educational seminars and introduction of basic elements of pasture circulation at used pastures;
4. Creation of new area for production of lucerne seeds with the purpose of extension of fodder crops sowing

Decreasing of intensive use of pastures will promote a potential capacity for self-rehabilitation of fodder crops. This process is rather difficult in the condition of desert. However, as experience shows, degraded pastures are capable to restore both, species composition of biocenosis, and fodder crops.

In all probability, rehabilitation of local community’s pastures and decrease of desertification will be fulfilled in accordance with the following scheme:
•strengthening of trampled places with ephemera and annual vegetation;
•appearance of native vegetation’s nidus;
•rehabilitation of pastures biocenosis.

Main tasks and obligations of project’s stakeholders
•the NGO Foundation “Farmer of Kazakhstan” undertakes a consulting service during the project realisation, establishing of effective link between farm “Zhuldyz” and local community of the village “Zhangeldy”, arranging of training courses for community’s members on forage production, prevention of land degradation, pastures rehabilitation and ecological security.
•The farm “Zhuldys” disposed with irrigated area of 40 hectares and agricultural equipment, is obliged to carry out all works connected with production, clearing and realisation of lucerne seeds.
•The population of local community “Zhangeldy” is responsible for:
1.long-term cultivation of lucerne with the purpose of own forage production (in summer and winter time) in the irrigated area at places from 3 up to 20 hectares. These measures will promote a sustainable stock-raising.
2.observance of pastures interchange scheme in a system of rotation, proposed by the experts of NGO. It is inadmissible to exceed a recommended norm of pasture use.

Capacity - Building Component
The local community will be trained in the effective use of pastures, and on the methods of cultivating lucerne. Seminars will also be presented on land degradation and biodiversity conservation.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
The local community gets new livelihoods alternative. Lucerne sowing provide the local community with a hay for the cattle for the winter period.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
The local community will participate in the expansion of lucerne seed sites, repairing wells in remote pastures, grazing cattle in remote pastures, establishing individual lucerne plantations, clearing an irrigation canal, inspecting pastures around the village, constructing a platform for threshing and clearing lucerne seeds, harvesting the lucerne, and monitoring the project.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Site-visits will be coordinated for donor agency representatatives, mass-media, and local authorities; a video-film will be produced and aired on TV; project proponents will participate in TV programmes, press-conferences, and interviews; arcticles will be written and placed in newspapes and magazines; project proponents will participate in events and activities, like World Day to Combat to Desertification; and booklets will be published and disseminated.

Project Results
“Zhanartu” project is a successful example of reviving traditional types of nature-management, when transfer of livestock to stall keeping allowed rehabilitation of degraded pasturelands near the settlement.

Reconstruction of 8.5 km of canal to irrigate fields of seed alfalfa created a basis for long-term cultivation of alfalfa in the region and promoted rehabilitation of the pastures, as alfalfa has provided the cattle with winter fodder.

The local community started using remote pastures in spring-summer-autumn period: the farmers began grazing their livestock in distant pastures where the fodder crops were more abundant which both reduced the impact in the pasture areas near the village and increase the quality of meat and milk production (over 8000 new hectares with quality forage stock have become available for the local community).

Project implementation has resulted in the increase of stockbreeding production amounts for most of local population. Nutrition has improved for most of community members. Some families have entered the market with their products. Unemployment rates dropped due to implementation of field, stockbreeding, construction and repair-maintenance works and livestock productivity improvement. Prerequisites were created for horticulture and cotton growing, etc.

Project participation of organizations with different organizational-legal forms and ownership types allowed forming affective coalition of partners striving for achieving real results. Project participation of organizations oriented at support and development of agriculture: “Farmer of Kazakhstan” NGO and “KazAgro” National Farmers Federation of Kazakhstan has ensured a unique institutional image of the project focused around transition from extensive to intensive model of stockbreeding. Project participation of Zhuldyz farm as a principal executor allowed forming conditions for mutually beneficial cooperation of private and public interests.

Orientation at traditional methods (nomadic stockbreeding) taking into account cultural peculiarities of the settlement and local set of knowledge, ensured quite high degree of local population’s involvement. Project goals coincided with interests and vital needs of the community, members of which (employed and partially employed people) took active part in project implementation. This facilitated conducting information campaign and education activities among local population. Quite often members of neighboring communities participated in classes. This activity resulted in the increase of local dwellers’ ecological awareness as well as readiness to participate in project activities.

Sustainability of the project has proved after a time. The system of the pastures rational use implemented dy the project is still operational.