Bio-diversity

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. It is supposed to proceed the implementation of the second stage of the project with the same participation: NGO Foundation Farmer of Kazakhstan , local community of aul Zhangeldy , and farm Zhuldyz . NGO is responsible for technical assistance, monitoring and assessment of works by stages, for preparation and conduct of seminars. The local community(cattle owner) undertakes to reduce overgrazing on the ecosystem through rational use of entire aul pasture lands and creation of irrigated forage plantations for each local community member. The farm undertakes to produce lucerne seeds and to provide the local community members with seeds, to repair the main irrigation channel, and to train people to cultivate lucerne and other fodder crops for forage. Such innovation relationships will create substantive preconditions to: terminate the degradation of lands and rehabilitate biodiversity of the ecosystem in a particular Aral site; and procure stable life-support for members of Zhangely local community.

Kazakhstan