Dushanbe, November 13, 2021 – UNDP in partnership with the Agency for Forestry under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and academia held a one-day training for 80 young scientists and researchers to highlight the importance of youth participation in sustainable forest management and contribution towards sustainable development. This event is a part of a broader youth awareness campaign aiming to promote forestry education for younger generations.

The training is part of UNDP Development Solutions Partnership (DSP) initiative in Tajikistan to learn from Korea's development experience and innovative policy tools in forest management supported by UNDP Seoul Policy Centre. The workshop gathered students and recent graduates from the local universities and scientific institutes majoring in biology, environment, land management, and agriculture.

Forests perform an essential function in regulating the water balance and providing protection against natural disasters. Only 2.9%, or about 410,000 ha of Tajikistan, is forested. Over 100 years, Tajikistan lost up to 20% of its forested areas.

"Forests serve as an energy hub for youth and are a vital aspect of sustainable development," Aziz Nazarov, Head of the International Department of the Agency for Forestry under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, said.

The participants learned about the forestry policy in Tajikistan, international cooperation, the experience of South Korea in reforestation and community-based forest management, as well as UNDP's experience in the management of protected areas.

Youth play key role in tackling the accelerating pace of climate change and preserving vulnerable ecosystems. UNDP in Tajikistan works closely with the Government, civil society, and youth organizations to enhance their participation in locally appropriate climate action through innovative education campaigns.

Within the DSP partnership framework, UNDP is leading research on the valuation of reforestation in terms of climate-induced disaster risk reduction and developing policy recommendations to enhance governance mechanisms in the forestry sector that would be linked to the national planning and budgeting processes.

For more information please contact: Rukhshona Nazhmidinova, Communications Analyst, UNDP in Tajikistan (Tel.: +992 (44) 6005600, E-mail: Rukhshona.nazhmidinova@undp.org).