Adoption of Sustainable Land Uses in Post-Soviet Central Asia: The Case for Agroforestry

Djanibekov, Utkur; Villamor, Grace B.; Dzhakypbekova, Klara; Chamberlain, James L.; Xu, Jianchu

doi:10.3390/su8101030

Cited by 24 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…In the context of Khatlon, the risk of negative health outcomes brought on by food aversion is greatest during times of food scarcity when supplemental, non-taboo foods are more expensive or unavailable. Khatlon Province seasonally experiences food insecurity due to harsh winters and, increasingly, climate change-induced crop failure [34]. Supporting prenatal nutrition in the face of these challenges depends on sufficiency of supplemental food choices that do not agitate morning sickness symptoms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food taboos, health beliefs, and gender: understanding household food choice and nutrition in rural Tajikistan

McNamara

Wood

2019

J Health Popul Nutr

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Household nutrition is influenced by interactions between food security and local knowledge negotiated along multiple axes of power. Such processes are situated within political and economic systems from which structural inequalities are reproduced at local, national, and global scales. Health beliefs and food taboos are two manifestations that emerge within these processes that may contribute beneficial, benign, or detrimental health outcomes. This study explores the social dimensions of food taboos and health beliefs in rural Khatlon province, Tajikistan and their potential impact on household-level nutrition. Our analysis considers the current and historical and political context of Tajikistan, with particular attention directed towards evolving gender roles in the wake of mass out-migration of men from 1990 to the present. Considering the patrilieneal, patrilocal social system typical to Khatlon, focus group discussions were conducted with the primary decision-making groups of the household: in-married women, mothers-in-law, and men. During focus groups, participants discussed age- and gender-differentiated taboos that call for avoidance of several foods central to the Tajik diet during sensitive periods in the life cycle when micronutrient and energy requirements peak: infancy and early childhood (under 2 years of age), pregnancy, and lactation. Participants described dynamic and complex processes of knowledge sharing and food practices that challenge essentialist depictions of local knowledges. Our findings are useful for exploring entaglements of gender and health that play out across multiple spatial and temporal scales. While this study is situated in the context of nutrition and agriculture extension, we hope researchers and practitioners of diverse epistemologies will draw connections to diverse areas of inquiry and applications.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food taboos, health beliefs, and gender: understanding household food choice and nutrition in rural Tajikistan

McNamara

Wood

2019

J Health Popul Nutr

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“…With a few exceptions [20,22,37,38] both international and national research on adoption of agroforestry practices in Central Asia barely exists. There is a bulk of research from Soviet times on biophysical effects of tree wind breaks as an agroforestry system on crops [14].…”

Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the adoption of such practices depends on the perception and willingness of local land users, and little is known about farmers' perspectives on agroforestry practices in Central Asia so far, in particular shelterbelts. The factors that are relevant for the adoption of agroforestry vary in each Central Asian state, with governments taking different development pathways with different agricultural reforms after the collapse of the Soviet Union [21,22]. Based on field research conducted in September to October 2018 in two different regions of rural Kyrgyzstan (Issyk Kul and Jalal Abad), this article aims to address this gap for Kyrgyzstan.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Farmers’ Perceptions of Tree Shelterbelts on Agricultural Land in Rural Kyrgyzstan

et al. 2020

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The reestablishment of agroforestry systems in Central Asia, combining crop production with protective tree shelterbelts, provides significant potential to improve farming systems. This includes increasing crop yields, additional income from timber, as well as reducing soil degradation and wind erosion. Thus, adopting shelterbelts as a form of pro-environmental behavior provides a number of socio-economic benefits, although some trade-offs need to be considered as well. This paper investigates factors that shape the perception of—and attitude towards—the establishment of tree shelterbelts by farmers in two case study regions in Kyrgyzstan. Applying a conceptual framework distinguishing between extrinsic and intrinsic factors, research methods included semi-structured interviews with farmers and local policy makers. The results show spatial differences in the perception of shelterbelts, both on the regional and on the village scale. In general, shelterbelts were negatively perceived by more than half of the farmers. The main concern raised by farmers was the shading of crops by shelterbelts, resulting in a decrease of yield. In addition, small field sizes and potential conflicts with neighbors were key concerns. Furthermore, rules set by local self-government bodies were inconsistent with the legislative framework, posing significant restrictions to the adoption of sustainable land use practices.

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“…Surface area is sharply shrinking. The Aral Sea disaster is the result of water mismanagement and ecosystem deterioration [4][5][6], ecological conditions of the Central Asian countries are deteriorating and decreasing the welfare of the people [7]. More than 80% of the Central Asian population lives under water scarcity [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Ecological Policy of Kyrgyzstan Based on Data Envelope Analysis

et al. 2019

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Kyrgyzstan is located in the runoff formation area of Aral Sea basin. The ecological protection of this country has a great effect on the downstream and Aral Sea conservation. There were a few studies about this region carried out from ecological policy aspects. The aim of this study was two-fold. First, we characterized the eco-policy system structure of Kyrgyzstan in different stages. It means the transition from “command and control” to “market-based” ecological policy. The priority of ecological policy was changed from “sustain economic growth and poverty reduction” to “sustainable development and green economy”. We then used a data envelope analysis method to evaluate the effects of eco-policy and government governance through eco-efficiency. The results are that (1) the eco-efficiency achieved the relative optimal state and the ecological policy obtained a relatively positive effect as a whole; (2) economic development promotes the protection of the ecological environment. It is the first time that quantitative method has been used to analyze the effects of ecological policy of Kyrgyzstan. The model results can reflect comprehensive effects of ecological policy in social, economic, and ecological aspects. This study provides a reference for those who want to shape the next generation of eco-environmental policies both in Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries.

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Adoption of Sustainable Land Uses in Post-Soviet Central Asia: The Case for Agroforestry

Cited by 24 publications

References 52 publications

Food taboos, health beliefs, and gender: understanding household food choice and nutrition in rural Tajikistan

Food taboos, health beliefs, and gender: understanding household food choice and nutrition in rural Tajikistan

Farmers’ Perceptions of Tree Shelterbelts on Agricultural Land in Rural Kyrgyzstan

The Effects of Ecological Policy of Kyrgyzstan Based on Data Envelope Analysis

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