Promoting Sustainable Development in local communities of Caspian region through alternative sources of energy
MSGPV-AZ10-05

Local communities of the Tazakend Municipality in Azerbaijan suffer from low standards of living, poverty and unsustainable use of resources as well as shortage of energy and fishing grounds. The illegal logging at the surrounding natural forests for heating and commercial purposes along with poaching of fish and waterfowls at the Caspian coast are the measures taken by the local population to combat their everyday problems. However, these practices negatively impact biological diversity and resources of the region. Given the perspectives of population growth, increase of the energy costs for gas and electricity and inflation, this impact will increase in the future. However the intensification of these negative impacts will lead to desertification and reduction in fishing resources at the local level. As a good indicator, illegal poaching by the local population constitutes annually over 1000 kg of fish and 1500 heads of waterfowls. Therefore, it is highly important to provide local communities with alternative energy and biological resources.

This project aims to establish a specialized farm for the cultivation of high growth wood species and to create a breeding fishery pond with the participation of local people. Farm will consist of two components: 1) agro-forestry plantation of high growth wood species (400-450 m3/year), situated at 6 ha of degraded municipal lands; 2) artificial pond in an area of 1 ha, for enclosed breeding of fish with the capacity of 500 kg/year. The project will also help to mitigate the adverse effects on the region’s land and marine biological resources, prevent desertification due to the rehabilitation of degraded municipal lands, stimulate the improvement of living standards and enable opening of new job opportunities for the local population. Project will supply the population of Tazakend municipality with alternative firewood, merchantable wood and fish resources in order to support sustainable community development and preserve natural forest resources of Devechi district in the North-East Azerbaijan. Currently, the project has purchased some of the required equipment, leveled the site with bulldozer and constructed part of the irrigation canal.

Project Budget: 89,696 USD  Total Grant: 39,800 USD