Short description of the best practice

Joint Forest Management (JFM) is a participatory approach for the management of forest resources. In GBAO it has been tested and implemented on the forest land belonging to the State Forest Agency (Leskhoz). Through the conclusion of lease contracts (20 years) between the Forestry Agency and local forest tenants the user rights and duties for a specified forest plot are clearly defined and recorded in management plans and annual plans. The Forest Agency receives shares from the harvested products, which is used as a basis for the establishment of a financially sustainable State Forestry Agency. Along with the implementation of JFM, a strong focus is laid on capacity development on all involved levels, from the local forest tenants and the district foresters to the staff of the State Forest Agency. Additionally, the reform of the national forest legislation is supported.|

Location

Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), Tadschikistan|

If the location has well defined boundaries, specify its extension in hectares:

6400000.0

Estimated population living in the location:

210000.0

Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.

GBAO is nested within the Pamir mountains, reaching up to 7500m. While the eastern part of GBAO is dominated by a high plateau (4000m), the Western Pamirs are composed of deeply carved valleys, concentrating populated areas on narrow strips of land along the rivers. Due to these topographical features the region is not easily accessible.|
The soils in the alluvial valleys of the Pamirs are composed of a very thin humus layer. The soil layers are generally not deep, with a high occurrence of stones and sand. |
The prevailing semiarid to arid climate is dominated by the presence of different mountain ranges (see topography). The annual rainfall lies below 200mm for the entire region. The winters are cold, with temperatures falling to -40 degrees in the Eastern Pamirs, and the summers are warm, with temperatures above 30 degrees.|

Prevailing socio-economic conditions of those living in the location and/or nearby

Due to a lack of productive income opportunities within GBAO, the main income source are remittances, which are sent to their families by migrant workers in Russia. Besides this, small family farms are maintained for subsistance and small-scale sales of agricultural products. |
In GBAO land tenure is dominated by smallholders, and land use rights are still in transformation and insecure since the breakdown of the Soviet Union.|
The average income per year in Tajikistan is EUR 460. Within Tajikistan, GBAO is the economically poorest province.|

On the basis of which criteria and/or indicator(s) (not related to The Strategy) the proposed practice and corresponding technology has been considered as 'best'?

Different schemes have been tested and adapted during several years, before focusing on the actually implemented JFM approach. As a first criterion, this management scheme adapts very well to the prevailing challenges in forest resource management in GBAO. Secondly, it opens up opportunities for improving the situation related to forestry and forest resource use simultaneously on an ecological, economical and social level. And thirdly, there is a high interest from other communities and provinces in adopting the JFM scheme.|

Main problems addressed by the best practice

Inapropriate management of the State forests due to a lack of financial and human resources.|Energy crisis after the breakdown of the SU. During the Soviet era coal and other fuel materials were provided for a very low price. |Degradation of natural resources and decreased resilience against natural desasters in GBAO.|Lack of income for the local livelihoods and dependence of the local economy on imports of forestry products.

Outline specific land degradation problems addressed by the best practice

Uncontrolled cuttings of  and livestock influence on glacier head and floodplain forests lead to: river bank erosion, increased sand storms and dune formation, disbalance of waterflow due to decreased buffer capacity, loss of biodiversity, soil degradation.|

Specify the objectives of the best practice

Reform of the forestry management system: Establishment of a transparent, participatory forestry management system, adapted to current socio-economic framework conditions, which strengthens the State Forestry Agency and gives ownership and motivation to local forest tenants.|Firewood supply and energy-efficient technologies: Legal and sustainable supply of firewood and introduction of adapted energy-efficient technologies for the local population.|Forest rehabilitation: Rehabilitation of natural resources and respectively increased resilience against potential shocks emanating from global climate change.|Economic development: Impulses to local economic growth.

Brief description of main activities, by objective

Reform of the forestry management system:
1. Testing and implementation of Joint Forestry Management schemes including contract, management plan and annual plans for individual tenant plots
2. Support of the reform of the province State Forestry Agency towards a financially sustainable and transparent extension and control institution
3. Support of the reform of the national forestry legislation.|
Firewood supply and energy-efficient technologies:
1. Capacity development of the local population on forestry techniques and sustainable management of forests
2. Capacity development of Forest Agency staff on new rights and duties in the framework of Joint Forestry Management
3. Market-conform dissemination of energy-efficient technologies (heating and cooking stoves, thermal insulation and solar water heaters).
Economic development: 1. Support of a transparent market on timber and non-timber forest products
2. Support of the establishment of sales points for forest products
3. Support of processing activities for local value adding
Forest rehabilitation:
1. Protection, sustainable use and development of remaining forests through Joint Forestry Management and capacity development of the State Forestry Agency
2. Reforestation of degraded forest plots within the framework of Joint Forestry Management
3. Afforestation of new forest plots in the floodplains of GBAO within the framework of Joint Forestry Management

Was the technology developed in partnership?

Yes

List the partners:

State Forestry Agency of GBAO (Tajikistan)
Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH
German Development Service (DED)
Center of International Migration (CIM)

Specify the framework within which the technology was promoted

• Local initiative
• National initiative – government-led
• International initiative

Was the participation of local stakeholders, including CSOs, fostered in the development of the technology?

Yes

List local stakeholders involved:

Village Organizations (VO) in several villages in GBAO
Micro-loan Organization (MLO) Madina
State Forestry Agency
State Land Use Committee

For the stakeholders listed above, specify their role in the design, introduction, use and maintenance of the technology, if any.

Village Organizations are entry point for identifying willing tenants for the local management of forest resources. The MLO Madina is the key actor for the dissemination of energy-efficient technologies in GBAO, as they provide local people with micro-loans to afford the innovative technologies. The main partners for the introduction of JFM on province level are the State Forestry Agency and the State Land Use Committee.

Was the population living in the location and/or nearby involved in the development of the technology?

Yes

By means of what?

• Consultation
• Participatory approaches

Describe on-site impacts (the major two impacts by category)

Resilience of participating communities increased
Biodiversity in the JFM area has increased
Area covered by forest tree species increased
Expenses of tenants for firewood reduced, which frees financial means for other activities
Forest rehabilitated and biomass increased on JFM plots through livestock exclusion and sustainable cuttings
State Forestry Agency has accepted business plan for a reform towards financial sustainability and transparency

Describe the major two off-site (i.e. not occurring in the location but in the surrounding areas) impacts

huge interest of other communities to join JFM
Interest of the National Forestry Agency in adopting lessons learnt from GBAO for the national forestry reform

Impact on biodiversity and climate change

Explain the reasons:

The forests in GBAO are comparatively very small and cannot contribute to large-scale effects on the global climate.

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

No

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Yes

Where?

Roshtkala and Ishkashim districts of GBAO

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Yes

Can you identify the three main conditions that led to the success of the presented best practice/technology?

The high pressure of the problems lead to motivation of the State Forestry Agency and the local population to participate in changing the prevailing forestry management system. -> (b)
Three years of bottom-up testing of approaches and proceedures for JFM. -> (b)
Intensive coaching of the implementation process by GTZ. -> (b)

Replicability

In your opinion, the best practice/technology you have proposed can be replicated, although with some level of adaptation, elsewhere?

Yes

At which level?

• Local
• Sub-national
• National
• Subregional
• Regional

Related to human resources

1. Introduction of JFM is labour intensive and requires a motivated team of field extension workers (mobilizers)
2. Capacity development of forestry staff and local tenants must be a priority
3. The forest tenants must be carefully chosen and must be willing (and have the capacity) to work on their forest plot

Related to financial aspects

1. The facilitation of market access for the sale of forest products is essential
2. Establishing transparent and non-currupt structures for the financial management of the leased forest must be a priority in order to maintain trust in the JFM system from the side of forest tenants and the State Forest Agency
3. As the financial benefits of JFM can only be felt after several years, it is crucial to maintain the motivation of the tenants as well as the Forestry Agency

Related to technical aspects

1. Technical investments and infrastructures require a sustainable system for their long-term maintenance and management (e.g. creation of associations)
2. The dissemination of energy-efficient heating and cooking stoves and technologies for local households should only be facilitated via market mechanisms
3. On some forest plots lacking water access start-up investments in irrigation technologies can be necessary