1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Pamir Biological Institute (Pamir Biological Institute) - Tajikistan

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Pasture management through introduction of a new pasture rotation technique focusing on pasture capacity

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

There are more than 1 million ha of pasture lands in Western Pamir. However, they have low capacity and this affects the development of cattle breeding in the region. In Soviet times remote pastures were used and yearly rotation contributed greatly to rational use of grazing territories. In recent years pasture rotation was critically damaged and nearby pastures have critically degraded. The technology is designed for rational use of nearby pastures: animals are driven 2-3 times to each gorge with a 30-day interval. Animals should be grazed on the basis of capacities of each separate pasture.

Purpose of the Technology: Preventing desertification and soil erosion on pastures

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: The feature of the technology is that each farmer receives an area with specific capacity and vegetation. Farmers graze specific amount of animals for a specific period. As soon as the first period expires farmers drive animals to upper pastures and continue this process till late autumn. After a period of 50-60 days grass reaches specific length and is ready to be fed to animals. Pasture rotation is applied every year depending on visual condition of pastures.

Natural / human environment: Heavy climate conditions, long winter period with low snow cover, short and cold summer period. Average annual air temperature varies from -1 to -4.3 degrees C. Soil cover – high mountain, desert. Cattle breeding is the main agricultural activity in the region. Population is 14.000. Unemployment is more than 60%.

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• during experiments/ research

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Technology was introduced in 2010

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Reduction of productive capacity of natural pastures, reduction of soil fertility, fast desertification processes

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): intensive soil erosion and reduction of productive capacity of pastures

Nomadism: yaks and sheep

Future (final) land use (after implementation of SLM Technology): Grazing land: Ge: Extensive grazing land

3.3 Further information about land use

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 120Longest growing period from month to month: May - August

Livestock density (if relevant):

< 1 LU/km2

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• pastoralism and grazing land management

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 0.1 m2.

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Main measures: management measures

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Bc: reduction of vegetation cover

Main causes of degradation: soil management, over-exploitation of vegetation for domestic use (rooting out eurotia), overgrazing (growth of livestock), change of seasonal rainfall (reduced precipitation in summer period), population pressure (population growth), poverty / wealth (lack of fuel)

Secondary causes of degradation: land tenure

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• prevent land degradation
• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

Comments:

Main goals: prevention of land degradation

Secondary goals: rehabilitation / reclamation of denuded land

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Location: Murgab. GBAO

Date: 20 July 2010

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate

Technical knowledge required for land users: low

Main technical functions: improvement of ground cover, promotion of vegetation species and varieties (quality, eg palatable fodder)

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• US Dollars

other/ national currency (specify):

сомони

4.5 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Labour	ha	1.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Equipment	Machine use	ha	1.0	50.0	50.0	50.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					150.0

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 5 month(s)

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Altitudinal zone: 3500 - 4500

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

Soil fertility is low

Soil water storage capacity is low

5.4 Water availability and quality

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Availability of surface water: Also poor/ none

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly common / average land users

Population density: < 10 persons/km2

Annual population growth: < 0.5%

5.7 Average area of land owned or leased by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• state

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)

Water use rights:

• open access (unorganized)

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	Type of climatic change/ extreme	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	not well

Other climate-related consequences

Other climate-related consequences

	How does the Technology cope with it?
reduced growing period	not well

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
opportunity to produce fodder crops How can they be sustained / enhanced? always

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Preventing soil erosion through optimal load on vegetation cover How can they be sustained / enhanced? always
low cost of fodder crops How can they be sustained / enhanced? always