Tajikistan is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The key impacts identified are more frequent and damaging. This is aggravated by the environmental degradation, high exposure and the vulnerability of the populations and their livelihoods. Water scarcity and its seasonality; cross border nature of most rivers and the lack of data to inform water resource management and increased crop water demand are the other key climate risks.

The Khatlon Region is according to the World Bank the poorest in the country with a poverty rate of 32.8% and one of the most vulnerable regions of the country from a socioeconomic and environmental perspective.

The most critical issues in the region include growing pressure on natural resources such as land and water due to high population growth as well as to unsustainable and uninformed agricultural practices. Coupled with poor education services, unreliable supply with electricity during the cold season, a lack of income opportunities, degraded land and extreme hot weather conditions, it is creating a highly challenging habitat that is further deteriorating due to the climate change impact from year to year.

Over the course of four years, the program will be implemented in three districts of Southern Khatlon (Dusti, Jayhun and Qubodiyon) and in the peri-urban area of Bokthar city - the capital city of Khatlon region, benefiting around 28,000 people (including 14,000 females).

The state partners and institutions will benefit from the capacity building events (Committee for Environment Protection, Ministry of Agriculture, Committee for Emergency Situations, Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, Academia).

Outcome 1: Communities and local authorities manage natural resources sustainably and take measures to conserve critically important areas such as biodiversity hotspots.

Outcome 2: Vulnerable households, especially women and youth, are resilient to climate change through diversified sustainable livelihoods and innovative solutions addressing climate risks.

Outcome 3: The Committee for Environmental Protection incorporates scientific evidence and field experience into the policy dialogue related to climate change and biodiversity.

Expected results:  

• New Management Plan of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve is endorsed and implemented by the State Enterprise for National Protected Areas and funded by government and external sources
• Selected sites of the ecosystems in the vicinity of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve are restored
• Vulnerable households diversified their livelihoods, shifted from conventional to regenerative agricultural practices and benefitted from renewable energy and waste management solutions
• Public awareness raised on the importance of climate change and loss of biodiversity particularly among youth
• Facilitated knowledge management serves to share and exchange solutions to adapt to climate change
• Policy insights are shared and used to develop future interventions to adapt to climate change