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Yagnob Project

Where Ancient Culture & Conservation Intersect

By Plateau Perspectives

August 17^th, 2023

The Yaghnobi people, descendants of the Sogdians...

The Yagnobi (or Yaghnobi) people are an ethnic minority in northern Tajikistan, generally considered to be descended from Sogdian-speaking peoples who once inhabited most of Central Asia -- in what was ancient Sogdia. Today they live mostly in valleys of the Yagnob, Qul and Varzob rivers in Sughd province. They speak the Yagnobi language, an Eastern Iranian language (together with Pashto, Ossetic and the Pamir languages) that is directly descended from Sogdian language. Their traditional occupations were agriculture (barley, wheat, and legumes) as well as breeding of cattle, oxen, and asses.

Entering Yagnob Valley, as seen from Maghrib village

We first explored the valley a few years ago, in 2017, trekking between villages for several days to visit key people and places...

Mountain agriculture in vicinity of Naumetkan village

Mountain (c. 4350m) standing high above Khshirtab village, the entrance to Yagnob National Park

Cell phone coverage now is available for a few hours each day... depending on supply of hydropower.

Village leader demonstrating use of traditional wooden agricultural plough

An aerial view of Yagnob Valley...

Main river valleys and villages of Yagnob Valley. The Zerafshan Mountain Range is seen on the left (north side) of this view.

Entering Yagnob...

Trekking below the mighty Zerafshan Mountain Range

Turning off the main road that runs from Dushanbe to Khujand, Highway M34, the smaller track to Yagnob Valley immediately turns to gravel, dirt, and dust...

Snow and landslides see the sole access into the valley blocked for nearly 6 months each year. Even during the 'good' season, conditions are basic at best and any rainfall can bring further blockages.

Gravel road in steep canyon in the lower valley

Bulldozer clearing and maintaining access road near Maghreb

Gateway Centre under construction (park entrance) near Khshirtab village

Clearing the road following a snow avalanche in May 2023 (credit: Niyoz)

Local transport of extracted natural resources, near Anzob town

Mountain forest habitat downstream from Marghtimayn village

Large numbers of livestock are brought each year to the valley - owned by external people and hired herders

Mountain glacier situated in the western part of the national park

Once in the valley, however, a different view of the world begins to emerge. Both nature and culture are evident. Evident, too, are many intermingled challenges and opportunities -- for example with an abundance of natural resources available in the valley, which recently was the home for nearly 10-fold the present population, yet also observing some limitations and difficulties in terms of socioeconomic conditions. Forced relocations in the 1970s saw a depopulating of the valley to nil; now only between 500 or 600 people have returned, living in approximately 15 villages (of a former 35 villages) scattered the length of the valley. Limited access, mainly due to poor road conditions and harsh winters, along with the progressive loss of the Yagnobi language are the two overarching concerns expressed locally.

Rich agrobiodiversity marks the Yagnob valley

Gharmen is one of the 35 villages (most now abandoned) that are spread the length of the valley

Most of the houses are build of stone, further supplemented by mud brick walls

Horse on standby in Piskon village - near the foot of the mountain that marks the passage to the upper valley

Yagnob Valley is a 60 km long isolated narrow river valley between the Zeravshan and Hissar Ranges. It is occupied by indigenous Yagnobi people (around 25,000 individuals, primarily in Tajikistan) who speak an ancient East Iranian language related to Sogdian.

Primarily based on affinity of the ancient Sogdian and Yagnobi languages valley residents identify with Sogdiana, where earliest references date back to late VI - early V century BC. Alongside Bactria and Khoresm, Sogdiana was the most ancient state formation (a society represented by the castes of priests, warriors, farmers and slaves) in Central Asia. Yagnobi community lifestyles and land-use patterns still generally follow the older traditions.

Source: IUCN WCPA Mountain Protected Areas Update, September 2019. Yagnob National Park, Tajikistan—a land of ancient traditions, extraordinary environmental values and 5000m mountains.

Territories of Life

This valley has long been the territory of the Yagnobi people. It has provided them for generations with sustenance as well as a collective sense of identity, belonging, and even purpose.

"Territories of life" are lands and areas conserved by Indigenous peoples and local communities. Globally, such territories are as diverse as the peoples and communities who shape and sustain them through their unique cultures, governance systems, and practices. Note: the term "land" generally alludes to rights of individuals, whereas the term "territory" refers mostly to the collective rights of peoples.

Click the link to the left to access a recent publication about the diversity, present status, and threats to territories of life in West and Central Asia & the Caucasus.

Direct access to the chapter about mountain farming in the Yagnob Valley is available here.

Report on territories of life in West and Central Asia

In 1969 -70, around 7,000 Yagnobi people were forcibly moved to cotton-growing work-forces in the lowlands, where many died due to the hot weather conditions and hard labour. In more recent years, some families have returned to the valley and now between ~500 and 650 people live in challenging economic and environmental conditions. A fractured Yagnobi society is now slowly being rebuilt.

Yagnob National Park

Yagnob National Park was established by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan in May 2019 to preserve and restore natural complexes that have both special ecological and cultural values, to preserve the unique Yagnobi language and cultural heritage, to develop ecological tourism, to conduct research, and to achieve sustainable use of natural resources (for more information, also see here and here).

The creation of the park has opened new possibilities for biological and cultural diversity conservation in the Yagnob territory. The local community and Tajik government agencies are currently developing a co-management plan for the new park.

Overlooking the Yagnob River, as seen from Waghinzoy village

Discussing and learning about the national park

Yagnob National Park encompasses nearly 57,544 hectares, between the Zeravshan and Hissar Ranges.

Discussing wildlife abundance and access routes for conducting surveys

Creation of Yagnob National Park should go a long way in helping to relieve pressures of poverty and natural degradation

Reviewing the day's survey work and future conservation opportunities...

Early morning departure for household member in charge of grazing the cattle

The national park has been founded with the aim to protect not only the rich mountain biodiversity, but also to protect and strengthen the local culture by means of meaningful engagement through approaches such as community co-management.

Source: IUCN WCPA Mountain Protected Areas Update, September 2019.

Building on Yagnobi biocultural heritage

The people have many special skills such as construction of complex irrigation systems and techniques for terracing the very steep mountain slopes. These highlanders grow wheat, barley, and potatoes that can potentially produce high yields. Animal husbandry also contributes to the household economies.

Now, traditions that support unique mountain agrobiodiversity are being studied and community- friendly enterprises consistent with the conservation goals of the new park are being introduced...

New 'CEPF' project

A new conservation project has just been launched in the globally-recognized "Mountains of Central Asia" biodiversity hotspot, Strengthening Co-Management in Yagnob National Park, Tajikistan. The project aims to strengthen mountain communities in the Yagnob Valley for meeting both community development aspirations and nature conservation objectives in the Central Asian mountain region.

Established in May 2019, Yagnob National Park aims to support local community development as well as meet its biodiversity conservation goals through a ‘co-management’ approach. Supported by CEPF, this project has been developed to strengthen such capacities and empower communities. Specifically, this integrated conservation and community development project has five inter-connected, mutually reinforcing elements: (1) wildlife surveys, with a focus on snow leopard; (2) developing a network of community-based wildlife monitors; (3) strengthening local capacities for community tourism; (4) strengthening community co-management approaches in the park, including a series of targeted workshops and study tour to Canada; and (5) raising awareness and education in local schools.

Support for this work is provided by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation.

Heading out to visit several communities and valleys...

Dahanai Rakh: "the gateway" into upper Yagnob Valley

Livestock herders from outside the national park take their sheep and goats down the valley...

Companions walking on the trail below the Zerafshan Range

Mountain communities

Trekking for several days, we visited the following mountain communities.

Both challenges and opportunities for local development as well as for the preservation of the valley's unique biocultural heritage were discussed -- particularly with the park director. Plans were likewise discussed for key next steps in implementation of the new CEPF-supported protected area project, Strengthening co-management in Yagnob National Park, Tajikistan.

Bridge and trail up the Kul river valley

Water mill with Yagnob valley in distance, backed by the Zerafshan Range

Alpine pastures and mountain summits of the Zerafshan Range, on the north side of Yagnob Valley

Deep canyon in the Zerafshan Range, near Piskon

Connectivity even in the remote mountains

Kashi Village

Wildlife surveys

As part of the CEPF-supported project, snow leopard surveys will be undertaken -- serving as a mechanism by which to dialogue and advance co-management approaches for the dual aims of conservation and community development. Heading out from Marghtimayn and Waghinzoy, following local recommendation we trekked to Vorsout Pass (3575 m) where snow leopard had recently been seen; and there, we identified two good locations where to trial the trail cameras.

Looking up Yagnob Valley from Waghinzoy village

View of the mountain behind/above Marghtimayn village and Vorsout Pass (3575 m) in Sughd Province, Tajikistan

Trekking from basecamp toward Vorsout Pass

Basecamp - with terraced fields in the background

High pastures - with signs of livestock use

Scouting potential placements for trail cameras

Panorama view from first trail camera - looking up Yagnob Valley

Setting the solar panel attached to camera trap

Our approach

For surveying and monitoring the snow leopard in the national park, standard approaches as recommended by the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) programme will be followed, with additional support from a colleague at University of St Andrews.

The "co-management" orientation of this project also builds on previous experience on the Tibetan plateau, which has contributed to the development of more community-friendly management of China's new national parks.

Setting trail camera (credit: Chris Wood)

Leaving the valley, returning to Dushanbe...

Carrying produce from the countryside...

Wrapping up -- this visual story recalls our field trip to the Yagnob National Park in August 2023 under the CEPF project "Strengthening co-management..."

In some ways, it feels that this is but the beginning. In fact, however, this project is really simply a continuation -- first, of the lives and livelihoods we have seen in the valley, and secondly, of all the people who have come before us in support of Yagnobi people and the community in the valley...

To recall... Supporting the development of this new national park, as per its own charters, aims to support both nature and culture. It is not a matter of either/or. It is, in fact, an essential both/and.

Yagnobi biocultural diversity is unique, and supporting and strengthening the new national park together with local community members and their biocultural heritage are essential elements that should be achieved through this and on-going project work.

‘Biocultural diversity' is considered as biological diversity and cultural diversity and the links between them and ‘Biocultural heritage' reflects the holistic approach of many indigenous peoples and local communities. This holistic and collective conceptual approach also recognizes knowledge as ‘heritage’, thereby reflecting its custodial and intergenerational character. The cultural landscapes inscribed under the World Heritage Convention are examples of biocultural heritage.

Source: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). (2018). Definitions of biocultural. Cited in: Bridgewater, P. and Rotherham, I.D. (2019). A critical perspective on the concept of biocultural diversity and its emerging role in nature and heritage conservation. People & Nature 1(3): 291-304.

Annex: Bird List

Birds of Yagnob Valley, 9-11 August 20023. All photographs by Philip Steiner.

Photo story of the first field mission to Yagnob National Park under the CEPF Project #114017, Strengthening Co-Management in Yagnob National Park, Tajikistan.

To cite: Foggin, J.M. (2023). Yagnob Project: Where Ancient Culture & Conservation Intersect. Plateau Perspectives: Ardgay, Scotland. https://plateauperspectives.exposure.co/yagnob-project/