Re-pasturing of livestock - degradation of pastures. Kar-Balta Gorge. Turuk area.
The primary cause of the acute ecological situation in Kyrgyzstan is overgrazing, which is not only due to the large number of livestock but also to changes in the pasture usage system, which has become year-round. As a result, there is degradation of pastures, and the processes of replacing annual forage grasses with weeds are intensifying. The negative consequences of overgrazing include desertification, soil erosion, deforestation, degradation of plant and animal biodiversity, reduced productivity of livestock, and ultimately a decrease in food security for humans.
Everywhere near populated areas, changes in the appearance of fine-grain grass steppes are already observed under the influence of perennial (most often excessive) grazing: the height of the grass cover and the forage value of the vegetation are decreasing, desertification is occurring, and pastures are being populated by inedible and weedy plants. The tugai forests of the region are suffering from overgrazing, which leads to the depletion of the undergrowth. Pasture degradation is occurring. The species composition of traditional pastures is impoverished, and over time, they are completely filled with thickets of less suitable or even poisonous grasses. Pasture rotation, that is, the change of pastures, is almost not practiced in the country.
Experts propose measures such as adhering to a pasture rotation system, seasonal migrations; regulating livestock numbers taking into account pasture resources; cultivating annual and perennial grasses to improve the forage base and reduce livestock mortality due to lack of feed; and introducing irrigation systems for watering hayfields, pastures, and watering points.
Additionally, reducing livestock numbers by introducing more productive breeds of livestock, guiding shepherds towards other areas of income such as ecotourism and rural tourism, providing opportunities for processing livestock products, and organizing a market for livestock breeders, which allows them to reduce the number of livestock through earnings from ancillary activities.
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