Tracing biodiversity impacts of livestock from Kyrgyzstan and beyond
More than 30 experts took part in the fourth session of the FAO LEAP training on quantitative assessment of livestock's impacts on biodiversity in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
The FAO Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership and the FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia joined efforts to organize a series of training sessions for experts in Central Asian countries. The primary objective of this training series is to empower participants with the skills to evaluate the impacts of livestock production systems on biodiversity through the practical application of the FAO LEAP guidelines.
The guidelines address the biodiversity assessment challenge by offering systematic recommendations for quantitatively evaluating the impact of livestock production on wild biodiversity. These recommendations are designed to facilitate a step-by-step approach, utilizing established indicators and methods. Notably, these guidelines hold applicability across diverse assessment goals, user groups, scales, geographical regions, as well as various livestock species and production systems.
Kyrgyzstan, livestock, and biodiversity
Pasture-related activities encompass approximately 50 percent of Kyrgyzstan's land area. As productivity has recently increased, scientists and experts have become increasingly conscious of the corresponding impact of the livestock sector on biodiversity. Given this backdrop, training assumes elevated significance, becoming a pivotal factor in preserving the country's biodiversity. In fact, in certain regions of Kyrgyzstan, such as the Song-Kul Lake area, researchers have initiated specific projects concerning biodiversity assessment. With the guidance of the FAO LEAP Partnership's training on their guidelines, these researchers can now conduct a methodical analysis of their endeavors.
The training was led by Majid Iravani, FAO LEAP Technical Training Support Specialist, with the support of Yuriy Nesterov, International Livestock Specialist at the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, along with Xiangyu Song, Manager of the FAO LEAP Partnership. Customized to the host country's requirements, the training aimed to provide support for livestock and grazing activities in Kyrgyzstan. The participation count for this specific training exceeded 60 virtually connected attendees, with 30 attending in person.
Next steps
Building on the achievements in Kyrgyzstan, the training initiative now extends to other Central Asian countries, with upcoming events planned in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. The culmination of this series is scheduled for August 18, when a final virtual session will mark the conclusion of these informative sessions.
About the FAO LEAP guidelines
FAO is actively assisting its Member Countries in enhancing their capacity to implement the LEAP guidelines on Biodiversity and the Livestock Sector. These guidelines are designed to address the intricate challenge of biodiversity assessment and to offer a systematic set of recommendations for quantitatively evaluating the impact of livestock production on wild biodiversity. The applicability of these guidelines extends across various assessment objectives, user groups, scales, geographical regions, livestock species, and production systems. Consequently, the guidelines will facilitate the comprehensive integration of biodiversity considerations into environmental assessments.
Furthermore, they enable the nuanced incorporation of crucial aspects related to livestock, such as their globally interconnected supply chains that yield diverse impacts ranging from detrimental to advantageous outcomes. A deeper exploration of biodiversity will uncover the interdependencies and compromises between different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It's noteworthy that numerous indicators within these guidelines also hold relevance for the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
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