The main income of local people living there is from few sectors, mainly agricultural, hydroelectric and mining. The agriculture, vulnerable to thermal shock and natural disasters, represents the 36,8 % of the gross domestic product.

During the Soviet Era, a factory and a mine assured employment and the social services but nowadays the poverty and social problems (alcoholism, marginalization, domestic violences) are increasing.

Our project “Biodiversity conservation and community based tourism to support socio-economic development in Chong Kemin Valley” intends to develop new rural activities based on the sustainable use of natural resources as tool to reduce poverty. The project aims at starting and encouraging sustainable approaches to manage the natural resources of Chon Kemin Valley as means to improve the socio economic conditions of local people. In particular it aims at:

1) Strengthening the scientific and technical capacities and skills of Chong Kemin National Park staff to monitor, plan and manage park’s natural resources.

2) Making Chong Kemin National Park a key actor to foster local people development through sustainable tourism and rational natural resources utilization.

3) Establishing partnership agreements and programs between Italian and Kyrgyz Institutions and organizations (Universities, NGOs, National Parks) working in the field of natural resources conservation and sustainable management.

Partners

• Istituto Oikos
• Chong Kemin Natural Park
• Brescia Province
• Stelvio National Park (Italy)
• University of Insubria
• Company Archaluu-Tor