The Ayni Area Office was established in 2005 to reach communites in the Zerafshan Valley. Zeravshan Valley is a remote mountainous area covering over a third of the territory of Sughd region with total area of 11,500 km2 hectares. The offices prioritizes activites that enhance local governance, support economic growth, improve employment opportunities, improve service delivery including safe drinking water, mitigate disaster risk, and those that attract labor migrants’ remittances for local development. The office considers gender mainstreaming as a key aspect of project activities and incorporates activities that give women equal opportunities for participation in civil society and local development. 

In March 2006, with funding support from the United Kingdom Government’s Department for International Development (DFID), UNDP launched the main phase of the Zeravshan Valley Initiative Project in all 24 jamoats of the valley’s three isolated districts of Ayni, Panjakent, and Kuhistoni Mastchoh. The project builds on existing development initiatives in the Zeravshan Valley and on UNDP’s experience and achievements throughout Tajikistan. The project aims to decrease poverty and improve the living standards of the Zeravshan Valley’s 295,000 inhabitants through the implementation of the following three project components: 

i) Putting in place adequate information systems for planning, identifying priorities and coordinating development; 
ii) Improving public services through the efficient management of scarce resources; and
iii) Enhancing livelihoods and employment opportunities.

UNDP Ayni AO will continue supporting communities’ development initiatives by expainding on the success of the Zeravshan Valley Initiative. 

Geographic Location, Area of Coverage, Number of In/Direct Beneficiaries, Map of Area of Coverage, Regional Statistics, and Ongoing Projects: 

The population of Zerafshan is mainly engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding, which is often hampered due to unstable weather conditions, limited land resources and deteriorated infrastructure. A high unemployment rate and prevailing number of able bodied population resulted in increased annual labour migration to (62% out of capable labour force) mostly the Russian Federation and other former Soviet countries. The area is prone to natural disaster and access to the Valley is often limited during the winter for nearly half of the year due to poor road conditions, avalanches and mudflows.

The Zeravshan Valley runs from East to West between the Turkestan and Hissar – Zeravshan mountain ranges. Access to Tajikistan’s side of the Zeravshan Valley is limited to three unreliable road outlets. On the west side a border road – only opened to the few who happen to have visas or special border permits – links the Valley westwards towards Samarkand, located in Uzbekistan’s downstream side of the Valley. The two other road outlets, closed in winter, consist of a North – South mountain road in poor condition that intersects the two mountain ranges and serves as the only road link between Northern Tajikistan’s Sughd Province and the country’s capital – Dushanbe. The roads are in bad condition and hamper the circulation of goods and people even during summer months.

ZARAFSHAN - FACTS & FIGURES

Zeravshan Valley consists of the three administrative units called Districts or Hukumats with a total population of 294,915 inhabitants. The upstream District of Kuhistoni Mastshoh is on the farthest eastern side. It has 20,611 inhabitants. This highland District’s economy is the most isolated and depends on migrant remittances, potato cropping and animal husbandry. Although the area provides ample opportunities for pasture and cattle breeding, available statistics show that pasture lands are decreasing because of improper maintenance. At the same time, people’s interest in pasture has declined due to diminishing numbers of cattle due to economic constraints and the disappearance of kolkhozes. The midstream District of Ayni is intersected by north – south road and its economy depends on the trade linked to the road, and migrant remittances. Land scarcity is a serious constraint, and consequently off-farm employment opportunities are one of the main issues. The population of Ayni is 74,764. The District of Panjakent is the largest and most populated District among the three with a total of 199,540 inhabitants. Its former prosperity is closely linked to its proximity to Samarkand, historical trade ties albeit now somewhat cut-off, and greater availability of arable land. Its economy depends primarily on cropping, migrant remittances, tobacco, small scale gold mining and trade.

List of Partners:

1. Government at Oblast level (Sughd Oblast Hukumat).
2. Government at District level (Ayni, Panjakent and Kuhistoni Matchoh Hukumats)
3. Government at Jamoat level (24 Zeravshan valley Jamoats)
4. Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of RT
5. Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of RT
6. Strategic Research Centre under President of RT
7. State Statistic Committee
8. UNDP Integrated Water Resources Management Project 
9. International Organization for Migration
10. German Agency for International Development
11. Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP)

Donor Agencies:

The United Kingdom Government’s Department for International Development (DFID)

Delivery status of UNDP Ayni AO

UNDP AYNI AREA OFFICE STAFF LIST

For more information please contact Daler Nazarov, Programme Analyst by e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it