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Kazakhstan - Rangelands in Transition

The Resource, the Users and Sustainable Use

Year of publication 2004

Pages 56

Author Tjaart W. Schillborn van Veen, Ilja I. Alimaev and Bulat Utkelov;Animal Production and Health Division

Product type Book (stand-alone)

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Kazakhstan is the sixth largest country worldwide in terms of the size of its grasslands. Rangelands covered nearly 186 million ha (70% percent of all land resources of the Republic) and, historically, were a driving force in the country’s economy as a source of fodder, food, fuel, medicinal plants, recreation areas, etc. These rangelands supported livestock as well as a large wildlife population that included large herds of the now threatened saiga antelope. Most of these lands are drylands wit h an average rainfall between 100 and 300 mm, and a wide temperature- range of over 30oC in summer and less than minus 25oC in winter. Some of these lands, such as the southern saxaul woodlands, and the Betpak Dala and Moyun Kum deserts in south central Kazakhstan contain unique landscapes and ecosystems. Kazakh rangelands also contribute to the global carbon balance by storing substantial amounts of carbon, an asset that may have commercial and economic value to the country and its landowners w hen carbon trading is developed. An estimated 6 million people (40% of the population) depend directly or indirectly on these resources for their livelihood, and many live in poverty. The transition during the 1990s has seen a decline in many of agricultural services previously provided by the Government, while the population has been slow to adjust to the new economic conditions. Much of the rangeland has been abandoned because of lack of access, degradation, lack of water and lack of basi c amenities for sustainable livelihoods (i.e. electricity, medical or educational facilities, shops, etc.). The abandoned or under utilized rangeland is estimated to be close to100 million ha.

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