Pasture management in Western Pamir
Type: Technologies
Creation: 2011-05-19 12:24 Updated: 2017-07-28 16:23
Compilers: Aslam Qadamov
Reviewers: David Streiff, Alexandra Gavilano
Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment
- Country: Tajikistan
- Region/ State/ Province: GBAO
- Further specification of location (e.g. municipality, town, etc.), if relevant: Murgab
- Map: View Map
Description of the SLM Technology
Short description of the Technology
Pasture management through introduction of a new pasture rotation technique focusing on pasture capacity
Detailed description of the Technology
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%.