Tajikistan faces a range of humanitarian and development challenges, many of which stem from the struggles of an agrarian-based economy to cater for the needs of a fast-growing population. A heavy dependence on agriculture makes Tajikistan highly susceptible to the impacts of climate change: 53% population is employed in agriculture (cotton, fruits and vegetables), with over 80% of agricultural lands reliant upon rainfall alone. Part of the country’s vulnerability to external forces also stems from its heavy reliance on remittances, primarily from migrants working in Russia who contribute as much as a third of GDP.
ACTED has been present in Tajikistan since 1996, contributing to addressing the country’s main challenges and fostering opportunities for sustainable and inclusive development, especially in rural and remote communities. Throughout the years, ACTED has used a participatory, inclusive and multi-sectorial approach to respond to emergencies, build disaster resilience, and strengthen civil society.
ACTED has been working alongside Helvetas and GIZ since 2014 to support communities in selected watersheds of the Syr Darya River Basin to adopt Integrated Water Resources Management approaches to planning and management, to improve watershed management, agriculture and food security and contribute to more sustainable and equitable development.
Together with Aga Khan Foundation, ACTED works to tackle poverty and the impacts of global climate change in the Zarafshan Valley in northern Tajikistan, through improving livelihoods, increasing food security, and establishing more sustainable natural resource management.