AKF ACTIVITIES IN TAJIKISTAN The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) has been active in Tajikistan since 1992, when, with the support of the international donor community, a response was mounted to imminent food shortages in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union and its centrally planned economy. In parallel with this emergency pro- gramme, a rural development programme – using the model of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme in Northern Pakistan – was initiated with a view to increasing the level of local self-sufficiency in staple foods (only some 15% in 1992). The rural development programme em- phasised agricultural reform through privatisation of land use, introduc- tion of high-quality seed and training in improved farming techniques In 1997 AKF started a rural development programme in the Rasht Valley with a view to (including application of fertiliser). In 1997 a similar programme was increasing the level of local self-sufficiency in 1 started in the Rasht Valley (now in seven districts: Darband, Garm, staple foods. Tajikabad, Djirgital, Tavildara, Faizabad and Rogun). The programme is currently being extended to the Shurabad district of Khatlon Oblast. Programmes for reform in the social sector were introduced in 1994, aim- ing to assist the regional government to cope more efficiently with re- duced resources while at the same time benefiting from new approaches in education and healthcare provision and related training. An Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) office was opened in Dushanbe in October 1994 and in Khorog in June 1995. An AKF office was opened in the Rasht Valley in November 1997. At the same time as addressing emergency and short-term needs, AKF activities have been designed with the long-term in view. In addition, both Gorno-Badakhshan and the Rasht Valley, as impoverished remote high mountain areas, offer opportunities for learning lessons of relevance to (and for applying solutions from) other AKDN programmes in similar environments – moreover, the experience in privatisation of farming and in social sector reform can be of relevance for other Central Asian econo- An Aga Khan Development Network office was mies in transition. opened in in Dushanbe in October 1994. Humanitarian Programme In 1992, as a result of the break-up of the centrally planned Soviet economic system, serious food and energy shortages began to be felt in Gorno-Badakhshan. This isolated mountainous region of Tajikistan, the 1Formerly known as the Garm Region 1 majority of which is above 3,000 metres, was at that time – largely due to the inefficient state farm system – producing only 15% of its basic food requirements. The balance, and all of its energy requirements, were brought in by the central government at highly subsidised prices during Soviet times; as from 1992, these deliveries virtually stopped. In the winter months road communications between Gorno-Badakhshan and the capital Dushanbe are cut off by snow on the high passes2 and the only lifeline is across the high semi-desert Pamir plateau from Osh. This road (728 km to the regional capital Khorog), because of the semi-desert conditions, has relatively little precipitation and is kept open almost continuously. MSDSP trucks carry supplies. Since early In response to appeals by local leaders, the AKF Board decided in late 1993, AKF has delivered more than 185,000 1992 to mount a major relief operation, to be followed by an agricultural tons of goods - of which 135,000 tons of food development programme. Since early 1993, AKF has delivered more than - to Gorno-Badakhshan. 185,000 tons of goods – of which 135,000 tons of food – to Gorno- Badakhshan. The volume of deliveries is now declining as a result of the improvement in agricultural production under the agricultural reform programme (see below) – but a substantial volume of goods (more than 25,000 tons to date) is now transported from Osh for the AKDN pro- gramme in Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan. Donors to the humanitarian programme in GBAO include the governments of USA, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Canada, and Japan; the European Un- ion; the UN High Commissioner for Refugees; the Canton of Geneva; AKF Canada; and several NGOs, including OXFAM, Dutch Interchurch Aid and the Netherlands Organisation for International Development Co-operation (NOVIB). RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME A local NGO was set up by AKF in Moscow and in Khorog in 1993. Its primary activities were initially to a) undertake procurement, logistics and monitoring for the humanitarian programme and b) implement an agricultural reform pro- Village Organisation members inspect a gramme. An office was set up in Osh (Kyrgyz Republic) in 1994 to monitor – threshing machine. The Village Organisation and, today, to implement – the logistics required for AKDN programmes in Programme is aimed at increasing the self- Gorno-Badakhshan and Badakhshan Province in Afghanistan. reliance of local communities, including village credit programmes, women’s activities and social and productive infrastructure Now known as the Mountain Societies Development Support Programme projects. (MSDSP), it implements, in addition to the humanitarian and agricul- tural reform programmes, activities aimed at increasing the self-reli- ance of local communities (Village Organisation Programme), including village credit programmes, women’s activities and social and produc- tive infrastructure projects. 2During the civil war, the Dushanbe road was closed during the summer months also and was the scene of much armed conflict, especially in the area of Tavildara (see Map 3). 2 The German government has been the primary source of funds for the GBAO agricultural reform programme (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit through the Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit), and is also supporting a micro-nutrient and nutritional surveillance pro- gramme as part of an “integrated food security strategy”; other funds have come from the US and Swiss governments and the European Commission. The Swiss government and the Netherlands Organisation for International Development Co-operation (NOVIB), are the primary sources of funds for the Village Organisation Programme. Funding for programmes in the Rasht Valley has been provided by USAID, the Tajikistan Social Investment Fund/World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Since 1993, almost all state farm land has been placed under private management, Agricultural Reform and Food Security totalling more than 11,000 hectares. In late 1993, AKF and MSDSP obtained a landmark decision from the local government in Gorno-Badakhshan that unused or under-utilised state farm land could be distributed to villagers who wished to become private farmers. MSDSP began a series of village-level dialogues throughout Gorno- Badakhshan to encourage private farming. Private farmers were assisted, on credit, with improved seeds and fertiliser and received technical assist- ance from trained MSDSP staff. A channel building programme was initi- ated to extend the area of arable land available to private farmers. Since then, almost all state farm land has been placed under private management in agreement with the local government. Total land under private management is now more than 11,000 hectares. Yields of pota- toes and wheat per hectare more than doubled. In 2000, however, Central Village Organisation members participate in a Asia was severely affected by a drought, which had an unfavourable MSDSP channel building programme to impact on agricultural production in the region. Both the GBAO and the extend the area of arable land available to Rasht Valley regions were adversely affected and, as a result, the produc- private farmers. tivity of staples in many areas declined. Gross production in 2000 of cereals and potatoes (in a wheat flour equivalent) totalled 20,310 tons, which was less than the comparable figure for 1999 by 3,340 tons. This corresponds to nearly 70% of the staple food needs of the Oblast, and represents a major achievement compared to the self-sufficiency level of 15% at the inception of the programme. Wheat, barley, rye and potatoes continue to be grown as the main food crops. MSDSP also encourages and facilitates the production of pulses, vegetables and fruits in order to provide a balanced diet and a sustain- able supply of vitamins and minerals. Wheat, barley, potato, pulse and vegetable seed (returned to MSDSP from previous loans) are made avail- able to participating farmers for spring and autumn planting, together with fruit tree saplings. MSDSP attempts to procure as much seed as possible locally, in order to encourage farmers to market their surplus, and to inject cash into a cash-starved economy. Fertiliser, fuel, agricul- tural machinery and dairy-processing and other equipment continue to Varieties of wheat are tested on experimental be made available on a cash or credit basis. plots. New grains have helped double production in potatoes and wheat. 3 MSDSP’s most urgent task was to ensure the availability of enough food for the survival of the population of GBAO, and, for the longer term, to work towards food self-sufficiency. MSDSP is close to achieving the im- mediate objective: private farmers have gradually been producing an increasing share of the region’s staple food, while food aid has been diminishing. The table below shows trends in the level of self-sufficiency in staple foods (cereals and potatoes, calculated as wheat flour equiva- lent) and also the impact of drought in 2000-2001. 30,000 100% mt Food Deficit 25,000 left hand scale 78% 80% 68% 69% Local Production 20,000 left hand scale 60% 60% 15,000 Self sufficiency ratio In GBAO, MSDSP collaborates with over right hand scale 40% 24,000 private farmers who cultivate 85% 10,000 35% of the crop area, of which 83% is under staple food crops. 25% 20% 5,000 0 0% 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001* *estimate In GBAO, MSDSP collaborates with over 24,000 private farmers who cultivate 85% of the crop area, of which 83% is under staple food crops.