The Central Asia arm of the Working Group of Asia Rangelands Initiative - or in ILC Asia terms, members of the Diverse Tenure Systems Commitment-Based Initiative (CBI 3) - has just recently held a strategic planning meeting for the next triennial work period.
Apart from members of the platform, representatives from intergovernmental organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Uzbekistan also attended the event. The meeting held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan heard discussions on, among others, the new “On Pastures” Law, which was adopted by the Legislative Chamber of the Republic of Uzbekistan back in May 2019. The adoption of the Law was considered a success yielding from this project. However, participants agreed not to be complacent and suggested to develop and adopt by-laws in order to fully enforce the Law.
The two-day meeting emphasised how the pastoral ecosystem represents a specific socio-ecological landscape shaped by centuries of nomadic animal husbandry production. Pastoral agriculture is a way of life for many communities in Central Asia and over time it has supported environmental protection of rangeland landscapes and herders’ livelihoods. ILC members and partner organisations of the initiative used the opportunity to exchange learning, best practices and work results from the previous triennial period up to 2019. They also shared the challenges and expected outcomes of the Central Asia Pastoral Alliance’s (CAPA) strategy for the next three years.
At one point participants presented their Database of Good Practices, a dedicated space to share experiences with and learn from other members. They had the opportunity to vote for the best case study and chose ILC Asia member Kyrgyz Jayity’s on the use of electronic pasture committee (EPC) information management system in Kyrgyzstan.
On the last day, the group finalised the Tashkent Declaration, where the majority of participants expressed their support. The Declaration will be presented to the Uzbekistan Government and the United Nations, highlighting the need for active participation and improved visibility of herders' and pastoralists' associations to advocate at the policy-level.
Asia Rangelands Initiative
The Asia Rangelands Initiative is made up of two separate but interconnected hubs – one focused on Central Asia and another on South Asia. The Initiative is an integral part of the Rangelands Initiative global component – both contributing to it and benefiting from such as the spaces it creates to engage in global processes. The Initiative contributes to a number of ILC‟s Commitments, though most activities tend to be mapped to Commitment 3 - Diverse Land Tenure Systems. For more information, visit this page.
Story written by JASIL and ILC Asia. Photo credit: JASIL