Classification of Mountain Silvopastoral Farming Systems in Walnut Forests of Kyrgyzstan: Determining Opportunities for Sustainable Livelihoods
Kyrgyz walnut-fruit forests are unique ecosystems inhabited by silvopastoral farm households that depend on forest resources for their livelihoods. Illegal logging, excessive collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and overgrazing of forest pastures negatively affect forest regeneration an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Agriculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/12/2004 |
| _version_ | 1797461995877826560 |
|---|---|
| author | Azamat Azarov Zbynek Polesny Dietrich Darr Maksim Kulikov Vladimir Verner Roy C. Sidle |
| author_facet | Azamat Azarov Zbynek Polesny Dietrich Darr Maksim Kulikov Vladimir Verner Roy C. Sidle |
| author_sort | Azamat Azarov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Kyrgyz walnut-fruit forests are unique ecosystems inhabited by silvopastoral farm households that depend on forest resources for their livelihoods. Illegal logging, excessive collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and overgrazing of forest pastures negatively affect forest regeneration and biodiversity, ultimately impacting sustainable livelihoods in the region. Understanding farm heterogeneity is critical to identify targeted interventions that have the potential to improve livelihood sustainability for local populations. This study identifies and elucidates the typology of farms in walnut-fruit forests. Data were collected from 220 farm-households in three villages located within or in the buffer zone of protected areas. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were used to analyze quantitative data and aggregate farms into clusters according to forest resource availability and use, production means, and socioeconomic characteristics. Three distinct silvopastoral farming systems were identified, in which farmers collect and sell NTFPs, but also have: (i) relatively high NTFP income, medium-sized livestock herds, and low off-farm income; (ii) moderate NTFP income, large livestock herds, and high off-farm income; and (iii) low NTFP income, small herds, and moderate off-farm income. Overall, all types of farms showed different livelihood strategies; specific recommendations aimed at increasing sustainability were provided for each type. While both improved forages for livestock and grazing in forests are relevant for all types of farms, in some cases, value-added processing of NTFPs and contributions from off-farm activities such as tourism are necessary for the conservation and sustainable use of forests. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:27:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c048aea1bb234a8190da23a9f5a14b6b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:27:18Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-c048aea1bb234a8190da23a9f5a14b6b2023-11-24T12:39:41ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722022-11-011212200410.3390/agriculture12122004Classification of Mountain Silvopastoral Farming Systems in Walnut Forests of Kyrgyzstan: Determining Opportunities for Sustainable LivelihoodsAzamat Azarov0Zbynek Polesny1Dietrich Darr2Maksim Kulikov3Vladimir Verner4Roy C. Sidle5Department of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha-Suchdol, Czech RepublicDepartment of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha-Suchdol, Czech RepublicFaculty of Life Sciences, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Marie-Curie-Str. 1, 47533 Kleve, GermanyMountain Societies Research Institute, University of Central Asia, 138 Toktogul Street, Bishkek 720001, KyrgyzstanDepartment of Economics and Development, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha-Suchdol, Czech RepublicMountain Societies Research Institute, University of Central Asia, 138 Toktogul Street, Bishkek 720001, KyrgyzstanKyrgyz walnut-fruit forests are unique ecosystems inhabited by silvopastoral farm households that depend on forest resources for their livelihoods. Illegal logging, excessive collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and overgrazing of forest pastures negatively affect forest regeneration and biodiversity, ultimately impacting sustainable livelihoods in the region. Understanding farm heterogeneity is critical to identify targeted interventions that have the potential to improve livelihood sustainability for local populations. This study identifies and elucidates the typology of farms in walnut-fruit forests. Data were collected from 220 farm-households in three villages located within or in the buffer zone of protected areas. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were used to analyze quantitative data and aggregate farms into clusters according to forest resource availability and use, production means, and socioeconomic characteristics. Three distinct silvopastoral farming systems were identified, in which farmers collect and sell NTFPs, but also have: (i) relatively high NTFP income, medium-sized livestock herds, and low off-farm income; (ii) moderate NTFP income, large livestock herds, and high off-farm income; and (iii) low NTFP income, small herds, and moderate off-farm income. Overall, all types of farms showed different livelihood strategies; specific recommendations aimed at increasing sustainability were provided for each type. While both improved forages for livestock and grazing in forests are relevant for all types of farms, in some cases, value-added processing of NTFPs and contributions from off-farm activities such as tourism are necessary for the conservation and sustainable use of forests.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/12/2004grazing in forestsremittancesCentral Asiapasture degradationcluster analysisNTFPs |
| spellingShingle | Azamat Azarov Zbynek Polesny Dietrich Darr Maksim Kulikov Vladimir Verner Roy C. Sidle Classification of Mountain Silvopastoral Farming Systems in Walnut Forests of Kyrgyzstan: Determining Opportunities for Sustainable Livelihoods Agriculture grazing in forests remittances Central Asia pasture degradation cluster analysis NTFPs |
| title | Classification of Mountain Silvopastoral Farming Systems in Walnut Forests of Kyrgyzstan: Determining Opportunities for Sustainable Livelihoods |
| title_full | Classification of Mountain Silvopastoral Farming Systems in Walnut Forests of Kyrgyzstan: Determining Opportunities for Sustainable Livelihoods |
| title_fullStr | Classification of Mountain Silvopastoral Farming Systems in Walnut Forests of Kyrgyzstan: Determining Opportunities for Sustainable Livelihoods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Classification of Mountain Silvopastoral Farming Systems in Walnut Forests of Kyrgyzstan: Determining Opportunities for Sustainable Livelihoods |
| title_short | Classification of Mountain Silvopastoral Farming Systems in Walnut Forests of Kyrgyzstan: Determining Opportunities for Sustainable Livelihoods |
| title_sort | classification of mountain silvopastoral farming systems in walnut forests of kyrgyzstan determining opportunities for sustainable livelihoods |
| topic | grazing in forests remittances Central Asia pasture degradation cluster analysis NTFPs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/12/2004 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT azamatazarov classificationofmountainsilvopastoralfarmingsystemsinwalnutforestsofkyrgyzstandeterminingopportunitiesforsustainablelivelihoods AT zbynekpolesny classificationofmountainsilvopastoralfarmingsystemsinwalnutforestsofkyrgyzstandeterminingopportunitiesforsustainablelivelihoods AT dietrichdarr classificationofmountainsilvopastoralfarmingsystemsinwalnutforestsofkyrgyzstandeterminingopportunitiesforsustainablelivelihoods AT maksimkulikov classificationofmountainsilvopastoralfarmingsystemsinwalnutforestsofkyrgyzstandeterminingopportunitiesforsustainablelivelihoods AT vladimirverner classificationofmountainsilvopastoralfarmingsystemsinwalnutforestsofkyrgyzstandeterminingopportunitiesforsustainablelivelihoods AT roycsidle classificationofmountainsilvopastoralfarmingsystemsinwalnutforestsofkyrgyzstandeterminingopportunitiesforsustainablelivelihoods |