Context and challenges

In Tajikistan, 29% of households live below the poverty line (1.9 USD/day) and the majority of them relies on remittances (49% of the GDP). Long and cold winters generate strong needs in energy for heating: 80% of the energy consumed by houses is for heating.

Limited access to fuel and changes in lifestyle combined with low energy performance of buildings and poor quality of equipment contribute to high energy vulnerability for households: during the heating season families spend from 14% to 25% of their monthly budget on energy while the most vulnerable ones cannot afford heating.

However, affordable energy-saving solutions based on passive solar and bioclimatic architecture do exist. Combined with eco-friendly practices, they can contribute to improving thermal comfort and tackling energy poverty by allowing up to 50% of energy savings. They could also contribute to a reduction in air pollution, deforestation, CO2 emissions, as well a heating chores usually accruing to women.

These solutions can trigger economic development and job creation for local entrepreneurs, by stimulating the demand for renovation and construction.

In 80% of the cases self-builders and future homeowners use the services of local masters and entrepreneurs for the construction of their house. All of them need trainings or advice to learn and master energy efficiency technics.

Objectives and solutions

The reduction of energy poverty has been the main focus of Geres since 2011. Our actions focus on the construction and renovation of rural and urban individual houses by supporting individuals and building capacities of professionals.

In partnership with the Abbé Pierre Foundation and Agence Francaise de Developpement, Geres is working with families and artisans towards the improvement of their housing conditions in Vahdat, Fayzabad, Hisor and Rudaki The Pilot Initiatives for Green Homes in Tajikistan (PIGHOT) project consists of two phases, during which these three main components are being implemented.

• The Energy Information Center (in Dushanbe) provides free advice, information and education on energy efficiency and renewable energies. The objective is to help households reduce their energy bills while increasing thermal comfort (December 2015 – June 2018).
• Promotion of a Green Home building sector through the development of Low-energy consumption house designs, training of professionals and awareness raising among future homeowners in Fayzabad, Vahdat, Hisor and Rudaki.
• Capitalization and sharing of the experiences at national, regional and academic levels with stakeholders involved in energy and housing sectors.

Beneficiaries

• 450 households from house construction and renovations

• 100 artisans/craftsmen involved in construction

• 3000 people through energy information sessions

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Partners

Financial partners

• AFD – French Development Agency
• Abbé Pierre Foundation

Technical partners

• SUE SRICA: Scientific Research Institute for Construction and Architecture
• Tajik Technical University
• Local Governments of Fayzabad, Vahdat, Hisor and Rudaki and their Designers Institutes
• Micro-Finance Institutions (First Micro-Finance Bank and Arvand)

Context and challenges

In Tajikistan, the proportion of people living below the poverty line can reach 74%. This holds true in the rural province of Sughd, one of the poorest regions in the country. Living conditions in this area are extreme and during winter, economic opportunities are severely squeezed. The very short farming season (May to August) is, in addition, constrained by substantial degradation of the soils and natural resources. Moreover, the intensive gathering of wood is very timeconsuming for the women who have to undertake this arduous chore to the detriment of their education or other income-generating activities.

Objectives and solutions

The project aims to develop a sustainable process that will improve the living conditions and economic opportunities of around 1,000 vulnerable rural households, particularly those headed by women. To do so, Geres has chosen appropriate domestic energy solutions, primarily passive solar and thermal insulation techniques. Reducing the need for fuel will reduce the pressure on biomass resources. In addition, the bioclimatic techniques will be used to reinforce the means of production, preservation and distribution of agricultural products.

• Building of 250 insulated houses with the passive solar techniques, 100 passive solar greenhouses enabling vegetable production to continue in the winter season, 30 solar poultry farms, 22 bioclimatic cellars
• Establishing of 2 co-operatives to improve market access for small farmers
• Raising awareness of energy saving and dissemination of energy-efficient equipment and methods (improved cookstoves, passive solar houses)
• Mobilization and involvement of local authorities, communities and civil society in the planning of the region’s economic and social development.

Beneficiaries

• Female-headed households
• Large families in difficulty (more than five children or including disabled members)
• Unskilled farm laborers (under 30 year’s old)
• Small farmers (less than 0.04 ha per person)

Partners

Financial partners

• European Union

Technical partners

• ASDP Nau (Agency for the Support of Development Processes)
• CAMP Kuhiston (Central Asia Mountain Partnership)
• Governments of the districts of Asht and Ayn
• Mahalla community organizations

context and challenges

Tajikistan is considered as the most vulnerable country to climate change in Europe and Central Asia, as it already suffers from low agricultural productivity, water stress, and high losses from disasters.

Tajikistan is characterized by harsh climate conditions: a continental climate with cold winters, remote mountainous areas result in resource scarcity and environmental degradation (deforestation, erosion and desertification).

Objectives and solutions

To better understand the local impacts of Climate Change in mountainous Tajikistan,  Geres conducted a Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment of the communities living in Iskander Dario valley (Ayni disctrict). The major changes observed by surveyed households included increased temperatures, particularly in spring and melting glaciers. The observations are consistent with meteorological data for the area.

Armed with a clearer understanding of local impacts, the project raised awareness of 45 local institutions (Mahallas, Jamoat, Khukumat, NGOs) about climate change risks and needs for local adaptation strategy development. Since 2011, Geres has been implementing adaptation measures in the area in partnership with local authorities: energy-efficient solutions for household to decrease biomass consumption (wood, dung), sustainable land management techniques at farm level (compost, mulching), efficient agriculture using solar greenhouse, better integration of natural resource management into local development plans.

A national workshop was organized in Dushanbe to discuss about the possible ways and means for the local authorities to take action locally on climate change adaptation. This resulted in a list of recommendations addressed to the government for the development of a National Adaptation Strategy.

The project is now completed.

Partners

Technical partners

• Agency of Support for Development Processes Nau (ASDP Nau)

Financial partners

• AFD (French Development Agency)
  
• UK Embassy in Dushanbe
  
• Abbé Pierre Foundation