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The main source of livelihood is livestock herding and agriculture, with some industry in the cities. NCCR North-South research in Central Asia is conducted in partnership with the Department of Water Ressources in Kyrgyzstan and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Tajikistan. Research themes include water distribution, mountain development and conflict management.
http://blog.world-citizenship.org/blog/index.php/wp-archive/669
Central Asia
Although sparsely populated, Central Asia has throughout history played an important role in relations between Asia and Europe. For centuries the regions of Central Asia were known in the West as transit points along the Silk Road.
Today, the independent republics of the former Soviet Union are the focus of intense interest on the part of the world’s major powers as they vie for access to the region’s rich deposits in fossil fuels.
Armed conflicts, ethnic tensions, unstable political institutions, competition for unevenly distributed soil and water resources and numerous other factors combine to create serious challenges for sustainable development in the region.
A large, landlocked area, Central Asia is characterized by highly varied geographic conditions, including high plateaus and mountain regions, extensive deserts and grassy, treeless steppes. The main source of livelihood is livestock herding and agriculture, with some industry in the cities.
NCCR North-South research in Central Asia is conducted in partnership with the Department of Water Ressources in Kyrgyzstan and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Tajikistan. Research themes include water distribution, mountain development and conflict management.
KYRGYZSTAN
Kyrgyzstan is mountainous country with an estimated population of some 5.2 million inhabitants. The climate ranges from polar in the highest altitudes to subtropical and temperate in the valleys. It is home to the world’s largest naturally growing walnut forest.
While agriculture remains the main economic activity, arable land makes up less than seven percent of the total land surface. Widespread water pollution poses a major health risk in the country. Following independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, Kyrgyzstan is still in the process of establishing viable political and legal institutions. NCCR North-South research addresses various aspect of these key issues. >>more
TAJIKISTAN
Tajikistan is the location of some of the highest mountains in the former Soviet Union. The landscape is dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast.
With a population of some 7.3 million inhabitants, Tajikistan is considered the poorest of the former Soviet republics. Following independence in 1991, a civil war that lasted from 1992 to 1997 further exacerbated the economic situation.
Arable land makes up only 6.5 percent of the country’s surface. In addition to some oil and mineral deposits, Tajikistan’s main natural resource is hydropower
The climate in the Pamir Mountains is semiarid to polar; at lower altitudes it is characterized by hot summers and mild winters. Earthquakes and floods pose a threat to both the population and the infrastructure. The abundance of water in combination with extended periods of heat make malaria a prevalent health risk.
NCCR North-South research in Tajikistan focuses on issues relating to malaria control, sustainable land use and the production of hydropower in the Pamirs.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
Health and Environment
- Frequency of Malaria and Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency in Tajikistan (2006)
- Spatial and Seasonal Distribution of Malaria: Risk Mapping in Tajikistan (2005)
Resources & Sustainability
- Sustainable Land Management in the Tajik Pamirs: The Role of Knowledge for Sustainable Development (2006)
- Classification of Landcover and Landuse: An Object Oriented Approach in Western Tajikistan (2006)
- Assessing Soil Erosion and Conservation in the Loess Area of Faizabad Western Tajikistan: Integrating WOCAT Methods with a GIS-based RUSLE Model (2006)
- The Challenges of Nature Conservation in the Tajik National Park – Objectives versus Realities (2004)
- Investigations on Land Cover and Land Use of Gorno Badakhshan (GBAO) by Means of Land Cover Classifications Derived from LANDSAT 7 Data Making Use of RemoteSensing and GIS Techniques (2004)
- Analysis of the Energy Situation in the Tajik Pamirs (GBAO) and its Consequences for Land Use and Resource Management (2004)
- The Tajik Pamirs: Challenges of Sustainable Development in an Isolated Mountain Region (2003)
THESES IN PROGRESS
- Bettina Wolfgramm, Assessing the Impact of Land Use on Land Resources in the Hill Zone of Western Tajikistan: Degradation and Conservation Processes – Opportunities for Sustainable Land Resource Management (PhD)
- Gulniso Nekushoeva, Land Use Changes and their Influence on more >‘)” class=”glossary”>Land Degradation and Land Resource Conservation in the Rainfed Area of Western Tadjikistan (PhD)
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