UNDP ‘Environment and Security Initiative in Cross Border Areas of Ferghana Valley – Tajikistan
and Kyrgyzstan’
Concept Note
Project Area: Environmental Data Collection and Analysis & Implementation Capacity
Building & Institutional Development & Cross Border Tension Mitigation
Country (Countries) of Implementation: Tajikistan (Chorku, Vorukh and Surkh jamoats of
Isfara district) and Kyrgyzstan (Aksay, Aktatir, Samarkandek and Dostuk ayil Okmotu of
Batken district)
Project Duration: 12 months
Project Vision
Sound environmental management and decision-making requires timely and efficient provision
of information and analysis to warn the policy-makers and affected communities on possible
dangers. Regular data collection and timely analysis is key to establish the link between
environment hazards, competition over access to vital resources and trans boundary tensions
between states and border communities. This intends to serve as an instrument for integrating
environmental concerns and sustainable development principles into the development
frameworks of the countries and identify capacity-building needs. This project will reduce risk
of conflict arising from the management of environmental resources and foster co-operation and
sustainable resource management at both national and sub-regional level.
Project Goals
The main goals of the project are to collect and to disseminate information and analysis of
potential conflicts arising from competition over natural resources or from potential natural
hazards between communities of two states of Ferghana Valley (Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan). It
is also aimed at assessing the security environment more broadly and at placing environmental
causes of conflict in the perspective of the wider security context. Such system of monitoring
and early warning will produce substantial basis for adoption of responsible policies in
maintaining secure environment. The international community would acquire an informed
picture of the needs and priorities, and of capacity-building requirements which would be useful
in planning practical interventions. Results and lessons learnt will also be communicated to
relevant stakeholders in Uzbekistan. Efforts will also be made to ensure the participation of the
communities from Uzbekistan in future endeavours in case of their interest.
Project Description
The project would build upon the three earlier phases of ENVSEC project “Transboundary
cooperation of communities in the Ferghana Valley in an effort of sustainable development”
supported by Germany and the systems of early warning and monitoring developed within the
interlinked frameworks of the Cross-Border Conflict Prevention Project (northern
Tajikistan/southern Kyrgyzstan) undertaken by UNDP Tajikistan and UNDP Kyrgyzstan.
During the first three phases of ENVSEC project an international consultant explored
possibilities of setting up a coordination and cooperation mechanism between communities,
NGO and local governments in Ferghana Valley. Improved monitoring of environmental
situation and natural resources was recognized as one of the priority tasks to avoid social
tensions and conflicts.
1
Early warning systems established within the framework of UNDP project have been
monitoring the risk factors in such fields as competition over resources (water, land and
pastures), establishment of the international borders and how this affected livelihoods of the
border communities, actors of the local authorities and the local security actors, and capacities
to peacefully resolve conflicts. Environmentally-specific indicators include human activities
which can endanger environment (cutting forest for timber because of lack of energy sources,
burials of nuclear or industrial waste, air and water pollution) and natural disasters
(earthquakes, floods, avalanches) and reaction of the communities and authorities.
Monitoring was based on quarterly reports submitted by the local monitors, and edited and
compiled together by the local analysts. These are done under close supervision of UNDP COs.
The process of early warning also will include dissemination of information to policy-makers
and expert community.
Current project envisages engaging the team of monitors in both countries and an analyst for
environment and other related data collection and provision of sound analysis on monthly basis.
The analyst shall be a local specialist, recruited for the project period on a part time basis to
analyze the reports collected from the field monitors on bi-monthly basis and produce 5
analytical reports during the project period. By the end of the project period the analyst will
develop the final comprehensive analytical report. For efficient data collection, the team of
monitors will undertake advanced trainings on proper data collection and processing, as well as
producing quantitative and qualitative reports. The produced reports shall be presented to the
joint commission consisting of the representatives of local authorities, relevant government
structures (Committees of Emergency, Environment Committees, etc.), local and international
NGOs, initiative groups, water users associations (WUAs), as well as sectors specialists to
discuss the related issues and find joint solutions. In order to win more communities and
establish the network between Tajik and Kyrgyz NGOs, the reports shall also be disseminated
broader through local NGOs like the “Youth Group on Protection of Environment (YGPE)” in
Tajikistan and the CAMP Alatoo in Kyrgyzstan. Both of these NGOs have established a
network of NGOs operating on the environmental issues, which could equally benefit from the
reports and get involved in the project as appropriate. The output of the working groups
meetings shall be ready proposals for solving local challenges for tensions mitigation, which
shall be brought to the attention of the national authorities, NGOs and donor agencies.
Since, UNDP Kyrgyzstan is also financed by the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Recovery
(BCPR) to implement cross border related projects in the Ferghana Valley, activities under the
given project will be communicated and coordinated with UNDP Kyrgyzstan accordingly.
Within the project framework UNDP will have established a local fund, which shall address the
local challenges through provision of grants as appropriate based on priorities and funding
opportunities. Local communities’ initiatives from both the Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on
rehabilitation/construction of social infrastructure for joint use by Kyrgyz and Tajik
communities such as irrigation/drinking water supply system, schools, hospitals, and roads,
which might have impact on improvement of the cross border relations will be targeted. Apart
from the infrastructure rehabilitation/construction, the cross border initiatives like sports events,
festivals, youth camps or any other cultural activities could be supported.
2
These initiatives will be identified by the communities through the established mechanism as in
below chart
Data
collection
by the field
monitors
Situation in
the target
areas
Analysis of
the data
Produced
analytical
report
Activity supported and
implemented. Problem
resolved
Decision making by the joint
commission
Identified activity to
be supported by the
Local Fund for Grants
Based on the table above the monitors will collect data from the target areas. The data shall then
be provided to the analyst for further analysis and production of the analytical report. The report
shall then be shared with the stakeholders and presented to the joint commission consisting of
Kyrgyz and Tajik representatives. The commission will review the reports findings and based
on them discuss potential activities, which have a cross border importance, and jointly propose
activities to be supported through the Local Fund for Grants. In addition, the commission shall
outline the obligations of each side in implementation of approved activities, which shall be
formalized through Memorandum of Understandings between concerned stakeholders from
both countries. Once all decisions are made, the approved activities will be implemented
through direct participation of the local communities in their implementation, monitoring and
coordination of the activities. It is expected that implemented activities will have a positive
impact on the situation in the target areas thus leading to changes. Then, the process starts all
over again and it shall be functioning on permanent basis.
This information gathering and analytical work will serve as a basis to organize a roundtable
with participation of communities from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and possibly Uzbekistan to
discuss and agree on ways to institutionalize cooperation and early warning framework in the
Ferghana Valley.
Situation analysis
The present problems of the environment in Central Asian republics and the threat they pose to
the future give rise to a number of pressing issues including industrial hotspots, deforestation,
desertification, water, natural disasters, energy, its production and consumption, pollution and
economic and political considerations. The importance of environment and security is now
recognized by national governments of Central Asian states and intergovernmental agencies.
Environment’s present deterioration in Central Asian republics has come about mainly as a
result of human activities, especially those concerned with development of industrialization
during the Soviet times. Over the past 100 years industrial processes have been responsible for
the pollution and degradation of the air, water and land. In addition the environment is being
degraded as a result of unsustainable exploitation of natural resources and environmentally
unsound agricultural practices.
3
The wide spread severe natural hazards in Central Asia are disasters of hydrosphere – flooding
and drought. Disasters are taking as greater toll because there are more people living in the
areas affected. More widespread results of disasters are destruction of buildings, social
infrastructure, water system, power supplies and the damaging of communication links. Apart
from the immediate effects of injury, death and loss of homes, there is the subsequent effect on
health due to lack of clean drinking water and of food, the spread of disease. In the case of
disaster effect on industrial wastes, there is the problem of the immediate and long term health
effects. At the other extreme, low rainfall, deterioration of water wells lead to drought. Drought
is not a direct cause of death, but it has an overall effect on peoples’ health and livelihood
causing mass migration and isolation of some territories.
Environment and human security are inevitably interlinked, and a healthy and secure
environment is essential to the well being of the states, and its citizens, who depend on it.
The Ferghana Valley is generally recognized as the region in Central Asia which epitomizes the
interrelation between environment and security issues. Hundreds of villages and numerous local
NGOs and enterprises are shared between the three bordering countries Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
and Uzbekistan. Cooperation, information sharing and building trust and confidence over
borders is a priority issue.
Sound environmental management and decision-making requires timely and efficient provision
of information and analysis to warn the policy-makers and affected communities about possible
threats and dangers. Regular data collection and timely analysis is a key to establishing the link
between environment hazards, competition over access to vital resources and trans boundary
tensions between states and border communities. Aimed with this information and knowledge
communities can work together to reduce risk of conflict arising from the management of
environmental resources and foster co-operation and sustainable resource management across
borders.
Cooperation in the Ferghana Valley is urgent, among others, in such spheres as sharing of water
resources and disaster management. It is estimated that between 1994 and 2004 cumulative
damage
from
natural
disasters
amounted
to
300
million
USD
(http://www.envsec.org/centasia/pub/ferghana-report-engb.pdf). Transboundary tensions over
water
between
communities
in
Kyrgyzstan
and
Tajikistan
(http://www.iwpr.net/?p=rca&s=f&o=343749&apc_state=henh) gave a glimpse of what may
happen in the absence of effective cooperative frameworks.
The proposed target areas of Isfara district in Tajikistan and the Batken district of Kyrgyzstan
suffer shortage of access to the natural resources such as land, water and pastures resulting in
violate conflicts and continuous tensions. Conflicts over water resources have been aggravating
year by year for the last 10 years, which requires immediate actions and interventions to avoid
further escalation of conflicts.
Moreover, tensions are escalating over access to pastures by Tajik herdsman who traditionally
used the Kyrgyz pastures by mutual informal agreements. Access to the pastures is being
hampered by reinforcement of borders from the Kyrgyz side, which has intensified the last
couple of years. And finally, with increasing density of population and disputed lands conflicts
over land plots is rising.
4
Project Activities
 Recruitment of new monitors and an analyst in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
 Training of all monitors on environmental risk factors;
 Data collection and analysis on environmental and border issues, production of local
reports every two months;
 Establishing joint commission/working groups;
 Dissemination of reports and recommendations to stakeholders;
 Conducting round tables on bi-monthly basis;
 Establishing local fund for grants;
 Addressing the prioritized challenges;
 Conducting awareness campaigns.
Project Outcomes
 Strengthened awareness and capacity of the Local Cross border communities in
identifying and addressing environmental and cross-border challenges to mitigate
potential conflicts;
Project Outputs
 Mechanisms for regular information collection and analysis established
 Conflicts mitigation processes enhanced through established working groups and
supporting identified priorities by grants.
 Improved understanding of communities and proposals on institutionalizing cooperation
and early warning frameworks in Ferghana Valley
Indicators
 A team of monitors consisting of 7 local people established in the target areas and
trained;
 6 reports produced and disseminated to the project stakeholders;
 6 round tables held and priorities identified and presented to the national governments
and the donor agencies;
 At least 4 of identified priorities addressed through grants;
 The population of 7 target communities have greater awareness on cross
border/environment issues
Project Management
UNDP Tajikistan – overall coordination on sub regional level, methodology development,
expert and logistical support, quality control of the expert work, supervision of monitors and
analysts.
ENVSEC – communication of project successes and experience to donors and international
organizations in Europe; support in coordinating the activities with other ENVSEC supported
activities in the region
5
Executor: UNDP/TAJ Communities Programme, Khujand Area Office
Project Budget
No
Activity
Unit
1
Recruiting the team of
monitors
and
their
salaries for 10 months
2
Capacity
building
trainings to the monitors
Recruiting an analyst and
salary
7
monitors
*10
months
2
3
Cost per Amount in Remarks
Unit in USD
USD
51.4
3,600
The monitors will
be recruited for
the period of 10
months.
1,500
3,000
1 analyst
*11
months
6
163.6
1,800
Locally hired.
500
3,000
It is expected that
in total there will
be 6 Round
Tables conducted
for the
commission. Each
round table will
require renting
premises,
transportation
costs, coffee
breaks, meals,
handouts, rent of
equipment,
facilitators’ fees,
and etc.
The priorities in
the target areas
will be identified
by
the
joint
commission
during
their
meetings
Publication of 6
reports, as well as
other awareness
raising materials
Coordination
meetings
of
specialists from
Taj and Kyr
4
Round tables
5
Local fund for grants
3
12,300
36,900
6
Publications
awareness
campaigns
6
333.3
2,000
7
Coordination meetings
3
866.7
2,600
and
raising
6
8
9
Project
administration
costs
(communication,
travel, etc.)
UNDP management fee
7%
ENVSEC
management
fee 6%
Total
8,455
4,655
3,990
70,000
German
Ministry – US$
66,500
UNDP – US$
3,500
7