1st Workshop on National Biodiversity Strategies & Action Plans in Northeast and East Central Asia
Experiences and Lessons
26 -28 April, 2000, Beijing, China

National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAP) : For Afghanistan

Prepared by: Abdul Wajid Adil, SAVE Executive Director

 

Background Information:

Afghanistan has a land area of 65.22 million hectares. It is a rough mountainous country located between 29 30” and 75 50’ East longitude. The great mountain ranges of the Pamir and Hindukush divide the country with high area of planes in the north, a mountainous central area. Mountains and foot hills in the east and southeast and lowland to the south and west. It thus combines the sharp contrasts of high mountains with more protected valleys. The basic administrative area is provincial. The country is divided into 30 provinces each governed by a walli (Governor). The population during 1978 was estimated at 14.5 million roughly; 15% urban, 70% sedentary in the rural areas and 15% nomads. The level of adult literacy in 1993 was 28% (HDR, 1996 UNDP New York).The main sources of water for irrigation are the four major rivers namely Kabul, Amu, Hilmand and Hari-rud and their tributaries, in addition to underground water resources.

The climate of the country is strongly influenced by topography and by monsoons in the east and Mediterranean disturbances. Rainfall is low and uncertain, averaging 23-37 cm except in south-west where it is 12 cm or less. The monsoons moves north-west along the Himalaya into the extreme east of Afghanistan resulting in occasional summer rains around Kabul. Due to the low pressure zone over the Mediterranean the rest of the country experiences a very dry and stable climate with northwesterly to southerly winds. The summer is hot. Especially in the subtropical south and east and the Amu river valley in the north with average July temperature of 35 C. In winter the highest temperatures are experienced in the Hilmand basin with January average 5-10 C. Even in the north along the Amu river the average January temperature remains 12-20 C, but at high Pamir it is below minus 15 C.

The driest areas are Seistan and the high Pamir with an annual precipitation of between 5-10 cm. The Amu river valleys with 12-15 cm is also very dry. Throughout Afghanistan a large proportion of the precipitation falls as snow. In the south and east snowfall is infrequent and light and melts rapidly. In the mountains of Nuristan and central Afghanistan snow lies for long periods of time.

The Afghan biosphere is varied. Ranging from deserts to high mountains and monsoons forests. It has a great variety of valuable interesting ecosystems and species.

The present political chaos in the country:

After occupation of Afghanistan by former Soviet Union, the on going war between warring factions further intensified. The Soviet installed regime on one hand and the Mujahedeen on the other engaged in a most destructive war for over a decade. When the Soviets retreated and then dismantled, unfortunately, the Mujahedeen because of their internal differences and foreign intervention were not able to establish an effective rule in the country. Meanwhile, another force emerged and immediately took over about 90% of Afghanistan. Out of 29 provinces of Afghanistan 25 are totally controlled by Taleban and the rest by their opposition mostly in Northern Afghanistan. The Taleban who are mostly religious students and novice in political arena and also short of experienced and know-how lack any initiation or the willing to promote social and economic transformations. Their utmost attention is now for expansion of their rule and bringing the country under one jurisdiction.

Following the withdrawal of the former Soviet Union from Afghanistan in 1988, the country was indulged in fierce civil war. This civil strife still continues. Now two major battling factions dominate Afghanistan’s present political arena. The Taliban that control about 90% of the country and the Alliance of North that are in control of some northern and central provinces. The war consumes all the negligible resources left from the country. The countries who support their own favorites provide only assistance to prolong the war. All the national revenue is allocated for financing the war

The western countries after reaching their goal of defeating their most strong rival turned their back to the country and suspended even their relief programs in the country not to mention developmental ones. The ban imposed by the UN further alienated the country and curtailed most of the preliminary programs for rehabilitation and rebuilding. The country now is suffering from lack of an effective and stable government to be able to draw plans and strategies for the country for lack of human resources and financial possibilities.

The on-going war and the state of natural resources/biodiversity :

The chaotic situation in war-torn Afghanistan, has had a deadly repercussion on the nation's survival; it also poses serious threats to the natural resources and environmental well-being of the country.

The almost two decades of war has played havoc with the physical and living environment here. Beside human loss of more than two millions and crippling of an additional half a million, the natural and human resources and infrastructure of the country suffered tremendously. According to some rough estimates, the war has cost the country around 800 billion dollars till 1988 which means extremely huge when considering the weakness of economic status of the nation and continuation of the war and civil war afterwards. All the vital social, economic and educational institutions were either totally destroyed or being crippled by the on going war. Most of the factories and about 50 % of agricultural land and more than 50% of the livestock sector have been lost and eliminated. The damage to infrastructure was about 75%. One third of the population with all their skills and capacities took refuge in the neighboring and other countries. Many of the intelligentsia and beaurocrates have left the country creating a great vacuum that can hardly be filled in the near future due to the crippled educational and training institutions.

As a result of the political crisis which have prevailed in the country since 1978 little attention has been paid to matters of science and the preservation of natural resources. The ongoing war has prevented scientists from going into the country to conduct field studies.

Agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and forestry were the back bones of the economy before the armed conflict commenced in 1979. All these sectors, particularly the forestry sector has suffered adversely during the past two decades.

The recent draught in the country unprecedented in the last thirty years has posed the question of life and death in the country. It has struck mostly the southern and southwestern provinces. According to a recent survey every one of four animals were lost as a result of the draught.

Losses to the natural resources are beyond estimation. Natural forests and trees were chopped down and the plant cover removed from vast expanses leaving the land with a barren look and prone to soil erosion, deadly floods and landslides. Most of the greenery in the large cities have been removed for satisfying needs for fuel in the harsh winters of the past. The influential incorporating heavy machinery turned the productive natural ranges to crop lands and encroaching upon public land and properties. This has further intensified soil erosion especially by wind. The protected areas, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries lost their status and being harshly used for various purposes. The restrictions and regulations were all violated in the absence of a central effective authority and operative legislation. As a result of the war, fire arms fell into the hands of irresponsible population who shoot at every moving object. Although by coming to power, Taliban have imposed a ban on carrying firearms in their held territories, but hunting of some big animals and birds may have not decreased for lack of education and awareness about conservation and ecological principles in the areas outside their jurisdiction. Total ignorance and lack of education largely are responsible for natural resource depletion. The armed units of the former Soviet Union and the former Communist regime and then their predecessors eliminated the wildlife especially the ungulates from vast areas in Afghanistan. Helicopter gun-ships were used for bombing the breeding places of the wildlife and their extermination. The very rare and magnificent Marco Polo and other large animals used to be gifted to the high ranking officials in the Red Army. This has eliminated a considerable number of species in some parts of the country.

The disruption of the watershed management and plant cover has threatened the life of hydro power plants throughout the country. Some of these water reservoirs are partially or wholly filled with sedimentation washed away by rains from denuded valleys. This has seriously depleted the power production plants capacity posing the country with energy crisis. Large scale looting of state owned machinery and equipment hindered rebuilding or restarting crippled power plants. The country is faced with serious food shortage and energy problems. The energy crisis in the country prompts families to burn everything to secure heat and energy for their daily livelihood. This has further aggravated the pressure on natural resources and prevented mass repatriation.

As the pressure on natural environment intensifies, the land losses fast its carrying capacity to support life and feed an increasing mouths in Afghanistan. This forces many more people to leave the country and settle mostly in the neighboring countries of Pakistan and Iran. The more the carrying capacity of lands is weakened the more the economic refugees will leave the country causing many hardships for the neighbors.

The open doors of Afghanistan for smugglers of strategic and important wild animals is equally dangerous for both the region. A large number of hunting parties enter Afghanistan from Pakistan territory and resort to mass killing of Houbara bustard and catching of the falcons in Afghanistan. There are some speculations about infiltration of illegal traders looking for plant parts and various species of animals. They pay handsomely to their local counterparts and they become content to fell down large tracts of forests obtaining only the underground parts of the trees. Some other smugglers are after other fauna, collecting and smuggling from different parts of the country. This has already created a lot of resentment against such trades within the experts community and general public in Afghanistan. Being a party to some of the universal conventions, we hope both Afghanistan authorities and the government of neighboring countries take serious notice in this regard.

The pace of deforestation speeded up with the loss of control of the central government of Afghanistan. Opportunists and the timber traders utilizing this gap mercilessly cut down the trees that otherwise are badly needed for reconstruction of the war-torn Afghanistan and for its environmental health. With the help of power saws they can denude a large tract of forests in a single day. The timber is then transported to the borders with Pakistan and sold to the foreign agents. The situation is so serious that after very few years the forests will all be gone. Already, the local population feel the scarcity of wood for their various needs Some tracts of the forests should be protected for future research and other purposes. Otherwise, our young generation will only read in their history books about these forests and they will surely resent our apathy and ruthlessness in the future.

The following are major biodiversity concerns for Afghanistan:

The following measures are suggested for overcoming the above problems

Biodiversity resources in Afghanistan:

Many cereal crops and fruit trees and all the sheep and goats which are important sources of man’s food throughout the world were first domesticated in Western Asia and Middle East. The crops and some of the livestock still used in Afghanistan include a range of primitive varieties. They yield less than some modern improved strains but often have genetic resistance to disease and environmental stress. The wild relatives of domestic plants and animals and the primitive varieties still in use may provide valuable material for the genetic improvement of modern crops. Their conservation should therefore receive high priority.

The principal plant species whose wild ancestors are found in Afghanistan are Pistachio spp, (pears), Malus spp (apples), Prunus spp (plums etc.), Amygdalis spp. (almonds) and cereals (Triticum, orzaya) etc. The tree species grow in isolated patches along the rivers and the cereals occur on the steppes and as weeds of cultivation.

Altogether one hundred and twenty one mammalian species have been recorded in Afghanistan out of which the Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venticus) and musk deer (Moschus moshiferus) are considered extinct. The leopard (Panthera pardus), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), sand fox (Vulpes ruppelli), Blanford;s fox (Vulpes cana) and three species of ungulates, the goiterd gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa subgutturosa), markhor (Capra falconeri) and Bactrian deer (Cervus elaphus bactrianus) are listed as endangered.

The wild sheep and goats are highly adapted to the harsh climate of high mountains and arid rocky deserts and could contribute genetically based drought and cold tolerance to domestic varieties. The Marco Polo sheep is a notably large member of its genus and could be used to breed increased size into other varieties.

Conservation of these resources should have a high priority, and in 1977 the Afghan Government established a germ plans unit in the Darulaman Research Station, Kabul, in collaboration with the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR). At present their main activity is the collection and storage of local cereals, especially wheat. Future plans are to collect fruit trees to be planted in a botanical garden. A part from the importance of seed storage, national parks and reserves are important for the conservation of varieties of fruit and nut trees.

Surveys are needed for areas potentially rich in wild crop relatives. Lack of information makes it difficult to monitor genetic erosion in these species. According to IBPGR, Afghanistan should give high priority to conserving wheat and rice cultivators, a variety of fruit and nut trees (especially Pyrus and Malus spp) and a variety of vegetables pulses, forage species, and medicinal plant species. Asafitoda (FAO/IBPGR, 1979).

Domestic stock is the most important source of income for a large portion of the Afghan population. Many of the local sheep, goat and cattle varieties are well adapted to the harsh conditions in areas where not other land use is feasible. They make efficient use of the vast steppes and poor rangelands. Experiments with foreign sheep and hybrids showed that these could not survive the poor range conditions and that the local races are superior (Yalcin, 1979). The ancestral wild stocks however are adapted to still harsher conditions and could prove useful for further livestock improvement. The establishment and improved management of conservation areas to maintain viable populations of such animals should have high priority (FAO/UNEP, 19080).

Areas of biodiversity hotspots:

Abe Estada and Dashte Nawar Water fowl Sanctuaries;

Abe Estada is a vital staging ground for rare Siberian crane and greater flamingo; threatened by irrigation projects to divert water, decreasing water levels and increasing salinity, also by extensive grazing, egg collection, disturbance during breeding and hunting throughout the year.

Dasht-e-Nawar Waterfowl Sanctuary is an important breeding and feeding site for migratory waterfowl and waders, located north of Ab-I-Estada

Ajar Valley Wildlife Reserve (Bamyan Province):

A hunting reserve of royalty and protected since the early 1950s, it contains ibex, Bacterial deer, feral, yak, snow leopard, leopard, lynx, wolf, jackal, fox, otter, marten, and long tailed marmot. The avifauna is the most diverse recorded in the Hindu Kush, with 60 species identified. Ajar Valley represents the largest tract of Afghanistan with a history of environmental protection.

Pamir-Buzurg wildlife Sanctuary (Badakhshan Region):

Located in the western Wakhan Corridor, in the spectacular landscape of the Afghan Pamirs, it is habitat for the Marco Polo sheep, along with 17 other mammal species, including ibex. Located on one of history’s great crossroads, it has potential for attracting ecotourism when peace is established.

Bande Amir National Park:

 

The six lapis lazuli lakes in the Hazarajat mountains are nestled between 300 m high magenta rock walls in the Bande Amir Valley. Their deep blue color is a result of water purity and high lime content. It has been a popular tourist resort since the 1950’s . In 1978, it was reported that the area was becoming seriously degraded from unlimited grazing, harvesting of reeds, and uprooting of shrubs.

Kole Hashmat Khan Waterfowl Sanctuary:

Oon the south eastern outskirts of Kabul, Lake Hashmat has been a hunting ground since Moghul times. In the 1930’s, King Zahir Shah declared it a waterfowl reserve. In 1978, it was used as a major staging ground by 30,000 migratory birds belonging to 157 species. Prior to the war, the lake was threatened by pollution of the Logar River, grazing of domestic animals, reed cutting, indiscriminate shooting, water diversion for irrigation and laundering of clothes. Since 1979, the areas has been closed for security reason. In 1991, the waterfowl available in Kabul indicate the indiscriminate shooting in Lake Hashmat continues, and the lake appears badly degraded by heavy human use of water for irrigation and livestock.

The most severely damaged areas are likely to be Kole Hashmat Khan, because of proximity to Kabul, and Bande Amir National Park, with its high density of human settlement.

Loss of Bio-diversity in Afghansitan

Emperor Zahirudin Mohammad Babur was a superb statesman and sportsman who established the Moghul dynasty in Delhi. He was also a keen naturalist and maintained a diary know as Babur Nama. In his memoirs, written over four centuries ago he gives interesting accounts of the fauna and flora of places he visited. In one instance, Babur reports a tiger hunt which occurred on the way to Bagram, 80 km north of Kabul. In the plain of Katawaz he describes how his men circled a group of wild ass (Equus hemiones) and hunted them in large numbers. In another chapter he discusses the presence of tree on the outskirts of Kabul. Unfortunately, today there are no signs of tigers in Afghanistan nor of trees around Kabul, except for some ornamental ones which have been planted in recent decades. In his other writings, he also gives detailed accounts of forest cover over large part of the country and many bird species with large population that today does not exist.

The Afghan fauna is characterized by many animals adapted to arid steppe or mountain conditions. The large herds of wild asses and gazelles which until recent times populated the steppes, have been almost exterminated by hunting. Similarly ,their predators, the cheetah and a lesser degree the hyena, have declined. Their associated arthropod fauna, such as dung beetles which are often host specific, have also presumably disappeared, the forests and mountains also harbored large numbers of wild goat, urial ibex, markhor, and Bactarian deer, feral yak, otter, marten and long tailed marmot. These have also been much reduced by hunting and habitat degradation.

Predators much sought after for there furs such as the Turanian tiger (probably extinct in Afghanistan), the snow leopard , wolf, red fox, brown bear, ermine, and lynx are now rarely seen. Only relatively protected or isolated areas such as the Pamirs, with their famous Marco Polo sheep, have retained their fauna.

In the migration season, huge numbers of bird migrate from Siberia through Afghanistan to the warmer Indian peninsula and Africa. During these season, the wetlands through the country serve as essential resting places for thousands of waders, ducks, and other water fowl. The rear Siberian crane, the greater flamingo and falcon are among these species. For their continued survival the Afghan wetlands are an essential stop for resting and feeding. Many birds also overwinter in these wetlands. Pressure on species form hunting has been increasing for the past several decades with the increase in the number of fire arms due to war, coupled with increased necessity for food and money. Substantial number of wolf and fox pelts appear in fur shop in Kabul along with less numerous pelts of snow leopard, leopard and baby leopard. Strings of ducks and other waterfowl are frequently seen in the market in Kabul, indicating that indiscriminate shooting continues. On the other hand, some wildlife habitats temporarily cut off from hunting pressure due to warfare may have provided a temporary sanctuary for some species, allowing some population to increase.

Early Efforts for NBSAP:

In 1972 the Government of Afghanistan requested the assistance of the UNDO and FAO in the conservation and management of the wildlife and natural areas. Initially studies were made on larger ungulates, which are much sought after for hunting by sportsmen, Later assistance was given in forests and range. Implementing management plans for established conservation areas and an action plan or strategy for conservation were prepared for some specific species and biodiversity hot spots in the country. Unfortunately, all these efforts were ceased after the central government lost control over vast areas of the country. The first successes of the program demolished when war destroyed every thing.

The action plan was an analysis of the policy options open to the Government concerning the use of the natural environment, and of their implications. It gave a description of the country with its agricultural fuel wood, which its disastrous use for damages greatly the natural environment; the physical and biological environment; the landuse of natural areas dominated by the over-utilized rangelands; the forests; the wetlands so important to education. At the end, of the reports and action plans a description of the natural conservation sites was given with the actions recommended.

The main recommendations for utilization of the natural environment were based on the goals to maintain the ecological processes and life support systems on which human survival and development depend, of preserving genetic variety , and of enduring a sustainable utilization of all natural ecosystem and species, They were as follows:

  1. Biodiversity assessment and identification of priorities for biodiversity conservation were stressed.
  2. Analysis of the threats/pressures on biodiversity and of the sustainability of the use of biological resources
  3. Creation of an environmental unit within the Ministry of Planning for the promotion of interministerial coordination of all environmental activities and matters,
  4. Management of and research on the rangelands, forests and conservation areas should be extended.
  5. A series of natural areas representing the Afghan ecosystems and genetic variety should be established, and the observation capability of the department of Forest and Range and the training of its staff should be improved.

As a result of these recommendations a number of sanctuaries, a national part and other protected areas came into existence. There was a trend to sign and ratify a number of international conventions among them RAMSAR.

Hindrances on the way for NBSAP for Afghanistan:

The future NBSAP for Afghanistan faces dreadful absence of institutional, scientific, legal, social and political obstacles that obstructs development, implementation.

1- Lack of Trained Human Resources:

There is an acute shortage of trained specialists to carry out preservation and conservation work according to accepted international standards. Those who received training before the war have either left Afghanistan , been dismissed, or remain on the payroll without administrative, financial or technical support unqualified staff fills vacancies. The relevant department at Kabul University is closed. Nevertheless, since there has so far been no concerted attempt to thoroughly identify the availability or above all the capability of personnel in various related field it is difficult to assess the potential which may in fact exist.

2- Curtailment of governing institutions:

Little capacity for introducing national systems for the preservation of natural properties exists under current situations although official departments and organizations within the de factro governments at Kabul and other provinces under Taleban exist and do provide a semblance of institutional structure.

3- Legislation:

There is at present no legislative base for the activities of the Forestry Department or any other initiations to conserve biodiversity in the country. A draft forest law exists but has not been legislated base for the creation and management of a system of protected areas.

4- Lack of awareness and commitment with communities for lack of enough awareness.

5- Lack of official commitment and willingness:

Since sincere official commitment to address natural heritage issues seems to be highly questionable at this time when political solutions remain elusive and the business of conflict remains the paramount priority on must examine what potentials exist with in the public at large.

6- The CBD has not been ratified by the country and this is a great obstacle on the way for preparation of NBSAP.

PRIORITIES:

1 Advocacy among Afghan officials on all levels

2 Special attention to preserving the six areas of ecological significance is warranted during rehabilitation. Specific strategies will need to be devised for each, depending on likely pressure form proximate population and sector developments.

3 During rehabilitation, care will have to be taken to enforce measures to restrict hunting during breeding season, and to restrict the collection of bird eggs. Regulations on trade in falcon and other raptors for falconry will have to be put in place to ensure to survival of the species, and the sustainability of a profitable trade.

4 Afghanistan should immediately seek ways and means to restore its international and national credibility through signing and ratifying international conventions and agreements to pave way for all embracing financial support to biodiversity programs and schemes.

5 As an obvious option for preparation of NBSAP is the UNDP/UNEP/GEF Biodiversity Planning Support Programme which has been created to overcome these obstacles and to strengthen the development and implementation of NBSAP

6 Natural area conservation and management should have varying objectives for the different sites involved. For any one area, the overall management policy should represent a balance of requirements to meet a combination of the following specific objectless,

NBSAP SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES

NBSAP has a crucial role to play in identifying Afghan nation’s biodiversity priorities and in promoting a systematic approach to the CBD’s many different provisions.

NBSAP has also proven to be particularly useful in enhancing awareness of the importance and value of biodiversity, both within government and among the general public. In addition, they can help to generate additional funding for biodiversity, at both the national and international levels for Afghanistan. Finally, their development also encourages multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral involvement in biodiversity issue. NBSAP thus provide the cornerstone for CBD implementation at the national level in the country.

For sustainable use and better conservation of biodiversity resources the future NBSAP of the country should be based on the initial work has been done in 70s. The work can provide a base data that can be manipulated to provide a basis for starting formulating strategy and action plans. The early documents produced for biodiversity conservation described some of the anticipated actions that should have carried out in the last two decades. They clearly state the biodiversity status in the country though it is quite old. They had recommended conservation policies, legal deficiencies and institutional responsibilities at that time. They recommended creation of a chain of protected areas and their management. A set of priority projects also were included among those recommended action plans. The early efforts were financed through the UN and its active participation in the program. The government only paid the salary of its salaried staff working in the governmental departments.

Some of the interesting hot spots have been defined and work on a number of them continued up until the government lost its control in the protected areas. If the conditions were normal today the country’s all major hotspots would have been clearly defined and management plans implemented had it not been for the curtailment of the normal work.

The Department of Forests and Range:

Most of the physical management action achieves the conservation objectives identified should be carried out by Department of Forests and Range. This department, which was established in 1957, still lacks the trained personnel the physical and financial resources and the knowledge of action proprieties needed to achieve these objectives; it is recommended that the Government take immediate action to strengthen the conservation capability of the Department of Forests and Range.

The central organization structure of the Department is satisfactory; there were four main deficiencies even before present difficulties in Afghanistan:

  1. Most of the qualified foresters were bed in Kabul and too few in the areas where the actual work of the Department was;
  2. Field staff worked under the provincial General Directors of Agricultural and no directly under their technical divisions at headquarters;
  3. There was no sound legislation base for forest conservation and management;
  4. Most of the staff had only a basic training in agriculture with a little specialization in natural resource management. The only properly trained ones are those who have been abroad and they were too few in numbers to successfully administer the diverse biodiversity needs of the country.

It is there fore recommended that the Forestry Department adopt the proprieties identified in some of the reports and assessment plans, that is allocate its available staff to these priority areas and that it decentralize as much as possible.

In view of the limited resources of the Department, it should concentrate its personnel and materials on the highest priority operations. This will entail establishing pilot programmes in forest management (Kunar and Paktia), range management (Kabul), pistachio management (Kunar and Paktia), range management (Kabul), pistachio management and conservation (Badhgis), hunting (the Pamirs, ajar valley) and park and reserve management (Ab-I-Estadah- Bandi-I-Amir, Ajar-valley). The existence of well run pilot programmes will be of enormous value in the training of future gernations of foresters and natural resource managers and improving the performance of the future gernations of foresters/resource managers and improving the performance of the present staff. Foreign aid is needed initiated these programmes.

Conservation NGOs:

The emergence of NGO in environmental protection and management of natural resources in Afghanistan is quite a new phenomena. It still is in inception phase. The same problems that curtails the work of the government concerned agencies are also true with NGOs.

The Society for Afghanistan Volunteer Environmentalists (SAVE) was the first one emerged and since then is busy in environmental education, greenery programs, research on some key species, environmental impact assessment training programs and others. In spite of its strong international links the organization still lacks financial support and many other problems.

Lessons learned:

During the early preparation of the conservation activities in the country it was learnt that the country possesses a rich biodiversity embracing a variety of species of fauna and flora and ecosystems that need urgent attention

Experience in Afghanistan showed that the wars not only destroys the livelihood of human beings but also destroys the future of mankind as well. Therefore, war threats and dangers should be averted in the first place for the sake of safe future for the present and future generations.

The weakness observed in the very stages of efforts for conservation of biodiversity in the country was its exclusion from the people and ignoring their say and future dependence on the livelihood of people residing in the hotspots of biodiversity.

For the strategy to succeed the classic way of exclusion of people does not work any more and other approaches like collaborative management also be closely considered.

Afghanistan is unique culturally and the strategy and action plan should take into mind any such particularities. For instance, if the strategy always keep in mind that religion and religious scholars can play a pivotal role in success of the strategy.

Recommendations for initiating NBSAP process:

Afghanistan has not embarked on the path of working on its strategy and action plan, the very first attempt in my view that should be made at this juncture is to convene a forum where the government concerned agencies, NGOs working on Afghanistan’s natural resources and world concerned bodies meet and discuss ways and means to initiate the program and identify very first priorities. Among the priorities that can be done at this stage are the following:

  1. Contact the authorities in Kabul and also their opponents in Northern Afghanistan and expressing the need and virtues of this strategy
  2. Encouraging the recognized faction to sign the CBD
  3. As an emergency measure, the GEF or UNDP allocate a small sum for facilitating the above measures
  4. An indigenous focal point is needed to pursue and initiate a process where some rudimentary measures could be taken

The focal point start communicating with stakeholders and bring them to a platform for deciding plans of actions for bringing NBSAP for Afghanistan

Afghanistan can easily benefit from the experience of neighboring countries with similar situations and can prevent any mistakes and misdoing in preparation of its own NBSAP.

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