Environmental research

During stable climate conditions (1950-1990) the water level in the Talas River was high, the main irrigation Sharuashlyk canal (12 km length) functioned in summertime, and villagers of an aul Shakirov had 500 ha of the irrigation grounds. Since 1998, the water level in the Talas River has decreased, and during summertime the water in the canal does not reach the level of LC lands. Ground waters are salted and cannot be used for irrigation. The irrigation grounds are not cultivated. Villagers have lost their basic income which they had from irrigation agriculture. Today LC members basically live thanks to cattle breeding. Local communities attribute these impacts to climate change. Project aim: To reduce climate change-driven soil degradation and salinization risks Project tasks: - Increase public support and improve natural resources, especially water resources, management - Introduction of new elements of water and land resources management, lowering risks caused by climate change - Increase of pasture fertility and cattle productivity Project results: - Climate-resilient grazing practices implemented - Reconstruction of Sharuashlyk canal - Reconstruction of irrigation system (formerly used for agriculture, now being piloted for fodder crops) - Selection and implementation of sowing pastures methods through growing alfalfa - Climate-resilient irrigation techniques (autumn-early spring watering, and production of winter forage) under implementation in pilot sites - Using of climatic adopted methods of pasture management - Community capacity to adapt to increasing aridity augmented - Local awareness of long-term climate change impacts on local communities and livelihoods improved - Communities trained in autumn and early spring irrigated pasturage techniques and able to implement them - Project results disseminated nationally - Publishing of brochure based on project results - Demo workshop

Kazakhstan