UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC “ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT” PROGRAMME POVERTY ALLEVIATION THROUGH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES Bishkek 2008 UDK 364 BBK 66.3(2) П 72 Coordination group: Mira Djangaracheva Talaybek Makeev Zhyldyz Uzakbaeva Ular Mateev Aigul Bolotova Authors: Elvira Ilibezova Larisa Ilibezova Elena Selezneva Rustam Toktosunov Gulsina Bigeldieva Bakyt Moldokmatov Editor: David Hutton POVERTY ALLEVIATION THROUGH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES Design: Murat Sagimbaev Proof in sheets: Vitaly Lyan Format 60х84 1/16. Offset printing. Volume 10,25 Circulation 1000 c. Poverty alleviation through sustainable development of local communities. П 72 Bishkek.: 2008. - 204 p. ISBN 978-9967-24-854-0 UDK 364 П 0803010200-08 BBK 66.3(2) ISBN 978-9967-24-854-0 © UNDP, 2008 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AC Administrative Code ADB Asian Development Bank APR JK KR Assembly of People’s Representatives of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CDM Clean Development Mechanism CDS Country Development Strategy CIDA Canadian International Development Agency CIS Commonwealth of Independent States DFID Department for International Development of the UK Goverment EDS Environment Development Strategy FCCC Framework Convention on Climate Change FGD Focus Group Discussions GDP Gross Domestic Product GEC Global Environmental Conventions GEF Global Environment Facility Gosregistr State Agency for the Registration of Rights to Immovable Property under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic Giprozem Kyrgyz State Project Institute on Land Management kyrgyzgiprozem GHG Greenhouse gases GTZ German Society for Technical Cooperation IFC International Financial Corporation IO Internal Organs JK KR Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of the Kyrgyz Republic KR Kyrgyz Republic LA JK KR Legislative Assembly of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic LSG Local Self Governcance Bodiess MAWMPI Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Processing Industry MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs MHPU Micro hydro power unit MTB Material and Technical Base NFP National Framework Programme NGO Non-governmental organization OECD REPF/LEPF Republican and Local Environment Protection Funds RO Responsible Officials POVERTY ALLEVIATION THROUGH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES 3 SAEPF State Agency for Environment al Protection and Forestry SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SIDA SPNA Specially Protected Natural Areas UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programma UNEP United Nations Environment Programma USA United States of America USAID United States Agency for International Development WB World Bank 4 POVERTY ALLEVIATION THROUGH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES FOREWORD The surveys conducted under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Capacity Building and Environmental Governance Strengthening for Sustainable Development Project from 2005 to 2007 served as the basis for this publication. The surveys were commissioned to identify the principal needs and problems for further project proposals to be applied for to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other donor communities. The results of the surveys and opinions of the respondents appeared to be true, therefore we came up with the idea to publish their results to give interested parties that might contribute to initiatives implemented to promote environmental protection and sustainable development issues1, a broad insight. The real benefit of this publication is that it is aimed at those who are interested in special knowledge and information “straight from the horse’s mouth” and gives the real picture of the current state of administrative bodies in the surveyed areas and considers the opinions of men and women willing to be involved in the rational use of natural resources and their conservation for future generations. It is intended for a wide group of environmental protection and sustainable development enthusiasts and experts who have developed new projects and programmes in the field of climate change, biological diversity conservation and the introduction of renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency. Biodiversity conservation is a state environmental sustainability policy, the Decree of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic (KR) “On measures to preserve and increase fishery stocks in the Issyk-Kul, Son- Kul lakes and other water basins of the Kyrgyz Republic” issued January 2008 indicates this. So as part of the project a sociological analysis of the reasons for the reduction in endemic fish species in Issyk- Kul Lake was carried out, which gives information on the socio-economic state of families involved in the fishing industry, their dependence on the fishing industry, expected reaction to a new fishing regime and the population’s interest in alternative sources of income. The survey results reflect the sincerity and concern of respondents regarding the fishing industry and serve as a good background for developing a new project proposal of the UNDP/GEF on Strengthening the policy and regulatory framework for mainstreaming biodiversity in the fishing industry of the KR Project that is being considered by the GEF Secretariat. To build capacity in and increase awareness of the biodiversity of the republic there is significant information on the problems and needs of the Specially Protected Natural Areas (or SPNA). This survey revealed the real problems of poverty alleviation in SPNA buffer areas, the need to optimise their management and assess and reconsider their effective funding and use of special funds and overcoming corruption. The evaluation made by experts about the level and state of equipment, human resources and corruption enabled serious recommendations to be made about reforming SPNA activities. Results of the social survey on Issyk-Kul Lake’s adaptation to climate change form the basis for the future UNDP/GEF Building Capacity to Adapt to Coping with the Shrinking of Glaciers by Improving Rural Water Management in the Issyk-Kul Region of Kyrgyzstan Project. The project will greatly help the country’s efforts to develop measures to adapt to climate change2. It will set out a set of measures to improve the management of climate change risks, water resources and agriculture posed by glaciers melting in Issyk-Kul province. Other challenges, including issues on meeting Kyrgyzstan’s obligations under the Kyoto Protocol will be considered during the project’s implementation. Information about the socio-economic state of families of the Suusamyr Valley and their expected reaction to the introduction of a pastures management regime will provide answers to the questions of regenerating pastures and possibilities for using alternative income sources. The collected data 1 Kyrgyzstan: Environment and Natural Resources for Sustainable Development. Bishkek, 2007; Joint Country Support Strategy, 2007; Country Development Strategy till 2010 where Providing Environmental Security is one of the country’s priorities 2 Human Development Report 2007/2008, Fighting Climate Change: Human solidarity in a divided world. UNDP, 2007 POVERTY ALLEVIATION THROUGH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES 5 has enabled the new UNDP/GEF Demonstrating Sustainable Mountain Pasture Management in the Susamyr Valley, Kyrgyzstan Project to begin and drafting of the Law On Pastures and promote the joint development of a Regulation On Pasture Committees with the Department for Pasture Management under the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Processing Industry of the KR and the CAMP Ala-Too NGO. The information also made it possible to study issues of the state and use of pastures through the prism of poverty level, incomes and standard of living of the local population. The use of alternative energy sources (AES) in the different branches of industry is directly related to the analyzed issues. This promising direction for Kyrgyzstan could be used to change over to energy efficient and resource-saving technologies in the energy supply, industrial, agricultural and housing sectors, therefore the main idea of the survey was to collect and analyze information on AES development in rural areas (sociological survey), the results of which made data on the state of and need for AES available at national level. It has been proved that the market for and production of equipment is dormant and there is not enough demand for or awareness of the equipment by the population and lack of purchasing power to implement these technologies. The country does not have a marketing strategy to promote AES and there are no manufacturers of this equipment although biogas technologies and micro hydropower units could be produced mainly thanks to international organizations and projects . On the other hand, the survey identified a desire by most survey respondents to save money, improve their own way of life and increase their incomes by using these energy sources. Respondents thought bio-energy, small rivers and solar energy were the most promising for rural areas. These results could be used when elaborating state development strategies and energy, agriculture and land degradation programmes and in developing the effective use of external aid in this direction. The results of a household survey on the energy efficiency of heating and energy saving of buildings were particularly interesting. This problem is becoming more significant and relevant for Kyrgyzstan but there is not