Farmer and Farm Worker Perceptions of Land Reform and Sustainable Agriculture in Tajikistan
The objectives of the study are to assess the impact of operational efforts in farmland restructuring and sustainable agricultural land management on vulnerability amongst rural households in Tajikistan; and to provide context and improve strategies for current operations in land reform, rural growth and sustainable land management given the challenges of economic transition, institutional, economic and environmental fragility, and the emerging risks of climate change. Low levels of assets and capabilities, as well as unsupportive institutional arrangements, constrain the options of the rural poor. Rural vulnerability both affects, and is affected by, household and community access to and use of land and other natural resources. Considerable theoretical literature can be found on the relationship between environmental management of agricultural production and rural vulnerability. This study examines the results and synergies of operational, field-level interventions in land tenure, sustainable land management and agricultural production. Limited management control over farmland, land degradation and low levels/low diversification of other assets are considered to be key drivers of rural vulnerability. A key focus, therefore, is to examine the effectiveness of strategies resulting from interventions to improve the incentive framework for farmers to help ensure livelihood security. The study seeks to examine linkages between operational efforts to secure family-based land tenure and other agricultural livelihood asset accumulation, and capacities to respond to shocks and stresses as seen in perceptions held by farmers and farm workers, in entrepreneurial behavior and adoption of sustainable land management practices. In the post-Soviet context, land-related family/household-based rights and responsibilities are considered particularly important motivations for sustainable natural resource management and building rural resilience.
| Summary: | The objectives of the study are to
assess the impact of operational efforts in farmland
restructuring and sustainable agricultural land management
on vulnerability amongst rural households in Tajikistan; and
to provide context and improve strategies for current
operations in land reform, rural growth and sustainable land
management given the challenges of economic transition,
institutional, economic and environmental fragility, and the
emerging risks of climate change. Low levels of assets and
capabilities, as well as unsupportive institutional
arrangements, constrain the options of the rural poor. Rural
vulnerability both affects, and is affected by, household
and community access to and use of land and other natural
resources. Considerable theoretical literature can be found
on the relationship between environmental management of
agricultural production and rural vulnerability. This study
examines the results and synergies of operational,
field-level interventions in land tenure, sustainable land
management and agricultural production. Limited management
control over farmland, land degradation and low levels/low
diversification of other assets are considered to be key
drivers of rural vulnerability. A key focus, therefore, is
to examine the effectiveness of strategies resulting from
interventions to improve the incentive framework for farmers
to help ensure livelihood security. The study seeks to
examine linkages between operational efforts to secure
family-based land tenure and other agricultural livelihood
asset accumulation, and capacities to respond to shocks and
stresses as seen in perceptions held by farmers and farm
workers, in entrepreneurial behavior and adoption of
sustainable land management practices. In the post-Soviet
context, land-related family/household-based rights and
responsibilities are considered particularly important
motivations for sustainable natural resource management and
building rural resilience. |
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