ACTED Tajikistan is committed to supporting sustainable and inclusive development in the country for over 20 years, working with the most vulnerable communities including women, disadvantaged youth and rural populations. With a coordination office in the capital Dushanbe and operational offices in Khujand, Murgab and Ayni, the NGO works to prevent natural disasters and support local civil society, and also contributes to the promotion of culture and heritage through the Bactria Cultural Centre.
Mission context
Tajikistan remains the poorest nation in Central Asia. Its economy shares the symptoms of other nations with weak labour markets with remittances from the diaspora contributing nearly 35% of GDP. More than 90% of the land of this agrarian country is degraded, holding back the potential for agriculture to play a greater role in poverty alleviation. This degradation also exacerbates flooding and landslides, to which three quarters of the population are exposed, resulting in the displacement of up to 100,000 people each year.
ACTED in Tajikistan
ACTED strives to address development challenges through promoting integrated natural resource management, reduce water-related disaster risks and create the conditions for sustainable rural livelihoods. ACTED also promotes public access to culture, information and vocational training through the Bactria Cultural Centre. Today, the centre serves as a platform for artistic and cultural cooperation.
Local museums make the most of a practice space at the Bactria Center
Female farmers plant radishes and other crops which help to increase the resilience of soil against flooding and landslides.
Members of a community based organisation in the Sughd region demonstrate best practices in agroforestry
Fostering a virtuous development circle through Integrated Watershed Management
One of ACTED’s priorities in the country is to support rural communities in working towards an integrated watershed management approach, which means looking at the short and long term measures locally available to mitigate against the recurring risks stemming from the watershed. Through encouraging members of the local community to discuss with local policy makers, stakeholders are able to develop a responsive and realistic solution which combine environmental, social and economic activities.
Sitting on the border between Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are the upper catchments of the Zerafshan and the Syr-Daria river basins. Due to the fact that communities on both sides of the border are reliant on this water for their livelihoods, management of this resource is complex. ACTED works to help communities identify the main challenges posed by proximity to the watershed and develop concrete actions to be taken to reduce the impacts. Common measures included pasture restoration, reforestation activities, and the installation of rock-filled cages to direct water flow.
