TSPC News

TSPC, together with AUCA students, have started implementing five policy labs related to pasture management, biodiversity conservation, migration and developing "green" technologies in the Kyrgyz Republic.

March 11, 2022

The project main goal is to involve AUCA students in the study of real problems of Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia with the help of partner organizations. The projects will provide students with an excellent opportunity to put into practice the new skills and knowledge gained during the study, said TSPC Executive Director Kanat Sultanaliev, when opening the meeting.

He noted that all projects are unique and interesting. Thus, two projects out of five will be devoted to study the intensification of migration flows of Afghan citizens to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, caused by the withdrawal of US military forces from Afghanistan in August last year.

As part of the next project, students will conduct a field research on the socio-economic situation of local and seasonal pasture users in the Suusamyr Valley.

For this, a special questionnaire will be developed, with the help of which students will conduct a survey among users of the largest, high mountain pasture in Kyrgyzstan. At the same time, before starting the field work, students will be trained on conducting proper interviews to ensure the quality of their research, - explained the TSPC executive director.

After that, the project coordinator to promote biodiversity conservation, Nazikbek Kydyrmyshev, made a presentation. He informed that, during the project implementation, a website and a database of all micro-reserves of the Kyrgyz Republic with information about animals and birds living in them will be created.

Kydyrmyshev stressed that: In addition, clear guidance will be published and distributed (legislative framework, existing experience of community micro-reserves) for other local communities wishing to create similar protected areas in their territories. The main project aim is to support efforts to create micro-reserves in the Kyrgyz Republic in order to ban or restrict hunting for certain animal species in the country

Further, a project was presented to create the first interactive map "Green business of the HoReCa sector and tourism in the Kyrgyz Republic." The main goal of which is to improve access to information on the demand and scale of implementation of "green" innovations in the hospitality industry as part of efforts aimed at reducing the negative impact on the environment and combating climate change.

After successful completion of the projects, students are expected to prepare a policy brief outlining why the issue matters and the main results of their work, as well as make a presentation to NGO or government representatives. The best groups will be recommended to participate in the Policy Lab Fair exhibition, which will be held at the Central European University (Budapest) in the summer of 2022,- Kanat Sultanaliev concluded.

It should be noted that the project is implemented with the support of OSUN - (Open Society University Network - the Network of Open Society Universities) is a global network of universities that aims to promote liberal education, ideas of personal autonomy and a free society. Project consortium consists of Central European University (Austria), Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Switzerland).

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