Kyrgyzstan: fertile ground for Acorn

Kyrgyzstan, like many nations relying on agriculture, has been impacted by climate change in various ways. Together with AFoCO, Acorn is determined to turn the tide for this beautiful country. Anne-Lot Kemna (regional manager for Asian partnerships), Lynn Velraeds (senior operations specialist) and Paulo Fijen (cloud engineer) traveled there — this blog covers their experiences.

Fecund to fallow

Anne-Lot, during her first visit to Kyrgyzstan, noted just how at risk this country is for desertification. Fully landlocked, it relies on glaciers and groundwater for irrigation — but both of these sources are compromised as a result of climate change. Add to that that many farmers focus on livestock, and the resulting overgrazing unfortunately means that vegetation doesn’t stand much of a chance.

“It was clear that what farmers needed was irrigation, and fencing — in order to protect saplings while they’re small and vulnerable and allow them to grow to maturity. As it stood, the lack of vegetation also impacted groundwater reserves — without roots to retain that water, it’s receding to where it can no longer be accessed for irrigation.”

No surprise then that many of Kyrgyzstan’s isolated rural communities are experiencing a mass exodus to other countries. A shame, because this mountainous country has great potential for unique biodiversity — and is even home to the world’s largest natural walnut forest.

But that wasn’t the only media attention Acorn received in Kyrgyzstan. Anne-Lot even made an appearance on national TV to talk about the potential benefits of agroforestry for the country and its farmers.

Enthusiasm among the population is high, with the Minister of Agriculture supporting the project and many farmers wondering not so much “why?” they should join the Acorn programme, but just wanting to know “when?” The only challenges are the country’s geography and climate, with mountain ranges, unpaved roads, and heavy snowfall during winter. “But that shouldn’t be too much of an issue,” Paulo says. “It’s just a situation we haven’t come across yet, that kind of seasonal pattern affecting data collection. Who knows? It might even make it easier.”

Anne-lot on national TV in Kyrgyzstan discussing Acorn

A bright future

His optimism is shared by Anne-Lot. “So much can be accomplished in this country,” she concludes. “With fencing to protect saplings and water pumps to provide irrigation, you can achieve great results. We visited a few smaller pilot projects that had already integrated those solutions, and it was impressive to see how trees had grown 3 meters in just 2 years, and how the ground was covered in wildflowers. Kyrgyzstan’s soil is clearly very fertile, which means there’s a lot to be gained.”