Sustainable Land Management in the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai Mountains - and Integrated and Transboundary Initiative in Central Asia Phase I

The main objective of the proposed project is to develop and implement an integrated management system for the preservation and rehabilitation of the natural resources in the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai mountain areas as a framework for sustainable land management and development of the natural environment and local populations living in the concerned mountain ranges and the adjacent lowlands. This will be achieved through a win-win strategy supporting both improved natural resource management as well as improved rural livelihoods. In view of the above, an integrated approach aiming at accommodating the various needs and expectations in relation to the three pillars of sustainability - economy, society and ecology - will be applied. For that purpose, a multi-level, multi-stakeholder and multi-intervention approach will be implemented. Already during the development phase, direct short-term supportive measures aiming at relieving the pressures on both livelihoods and natural resources will be initiated. Simultaneously mid- and long-term policy options will be developed in a participatory manner, paving the way for an increased awareness of the needs and requirements for integrated development measures affecting all sectors. Through the direct and active involvement of representatives of all concerned stakeholder groups, critical ownership and support will be generated. The tangible short-term measures will thus play a critical role improving the social and economic welfare of the local population - an indispensable prerequisite for a constructive and long-term partnership between nature and human populations in the Pamirs and Pamir-Alai mountain range.