Land Degradation. Village of Chorgolo. Panfilov District
The primary cause of the acute environmental 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, pasture degradation is observed, with processes of replacing annual forage grasses with weeds intensifying. The negative consequences of overgrazing include desertification, soil erosion, deforestation, degradation of plant and animal biodiversity, decreased productivity of livestock, and ultimately, a decline in food security for humans.
Everywhere near populated areas, changes in the appearance of fine-grain grass steppes are already being observed due to 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 colonized by inedible and weedy plants. The tugai forests of the region are suffering from overgrazing, with underbrush being eaten away and removed. Pasture digression is occurring. The species composition of traditional pastures is impoverished, and over time, it is completely filled with thickets of less suitable or even poisonous grasses. Pasture rotation, that is, the changing of pastures, is almost nonexistent in the country.
Experts propose measures such as adhering to a pasture rotation system, seasonal migrations; regulating livestock numbers in accordance with 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 income-generating activities 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 income from secondary activities.
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