Agency Brief

Agency Brief – Tajikistan
Creating Safe and Sustainable Habitats in the High Mountains

and Urban Settings of Tajikistan
Founded in 2015, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) works to support the creation of safe
and sustainable habitats in which communities, families and individuals can survive and thrive. In
line with the ethos of the Aga Khan Development Network, special emphasis is placed on building
self-reliance and resilience, expanding opportunity, and improving the quality of life for people of all
faiths, backgrounds and origins.
AKAH merges the disaster management capabilities of Focus Humanitarian Assistance with the
planning and construction expertise of the award-winning Aga Khan Planning and Building Services.
AKAH also incorporates the role of the Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan Fund for the Environment,
dedicated to finding practical solutions to environmental problems and fostering climate-sensitive,
sustainable development. Priority areas for engagement are Central and South Asia.
The cities and high mountain communities of Tajikistan are vulnerable to significant seismic risks, as
well as to frequent disruptive natural disasters such as landslides, mudflows, flooding, avalanches and
heavy snowfall. Tajikistan has a history of severe flooding and earthquakes, causing significant socio-
economic impact. The World Bank estimates that from 1992-2016, natural disasters affected 7 million
people, and caused economic losses totalling US$1.8billion. Natural disasters take the heaviest toll on
communities living in developing countries. In addition to threatening lives and livelihoods, the
reoccurring damage to homes and depletion of assets perpetuates the cycle of poverty.
Tajikistan’s mountainous terrain and the geological and hydrological features of the landscape leave
the country exposed to significant climate change risks, increasing the regularity and intensity of
natural disasters and exacerbating their impact of these disasters on communities, as well as resulting
in changing weather patterns which affects their livelihoods.
AKAH aims to address the increasing threat posed by natural disasters in Tajikistan, and works to
identify communities most at risk, ensure that vulnerable people live in physical settings that are as
safe as possible from the effects of natural disasters; that communities who live in high-risk areas are
able to cope with disasters in terms of preparedness and response; and that these settings provide
access to social and financial services that lead to greater opportunity and a better quality of life.
In addition to investing in disaster risk reduction and building community and institutional resilience
to both sudden and slow onset disasters, AKAH simultaneous facilitates the process of long-term
development by working on service delivery and facilitating access to opportunities. AKAH also
works to ensure that investments in development and infrastructure are safe, resilient and sustainable,
and not at risk of being washed away by natural disasters.
Identifying and Reducing Risk

AKAH works to understand and assess natural hazards and the risks they pose to communities living
in Tajikistan through hazard mapping and risk assessments. AKAH uses innovate technology and
tools to map remote hazards, and understand the risks communities face with rising temperatures,
such as the increased likelihood of glacial lake outburst floods. In Tajikistan, AKAH uses an
unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) to map remote hazards, such as glaciers, located at altitudes of over
4,000 meters, in some of the world’s most inaccessible terrain.
Based on the data and analysis from these assessments, AKAH then works to reduce the physical risks
facing communities, through structural mitigation projects, such as avalanche terracing and gabion
walls to prevent flooding. To date, AKAH has created Hazard and Vulnerability Maps for over 450
settlements in the mountainous areas of Tajikistan, ensuring that over 140 thousand people have a
better understanding of their hazard risk profile. In addition, working in close coordination with local
Government and the local community, AKAH has built over 100 mitigation projects to protect people
living in areas most at risk of natural hazards. As a result of AKAH’s structural mitigation work, the
physical risks of natural hazards have been reduced for 1000 households living in some of the most at
risk environments of Tajikistan.
Helping to Build Resilient Communities and Institutions

During natural disasters, particularly in the high mountain areas of Tajikistan remote communities are
often isolated as natural disasters cut off road access. Community level disaster preparedness is key to
safeguarding lives. AKAH works to increase community preparedness to natural disasters, through
village awareness raising sessions, and through training over 3,500 volunteer members to be part of
Community Emergency Response Teams. CERTs are trained in how to spot the warning signs of
natural disasters, basic search and rescue, and first aid, and how to work with Government first
responders to protect their communities during natural disasters. AKAH also works with the
communities to create a network of community managed prepositioned stockpiles and community run
communication networks in areas most at risk of natural disasters. As Tajikistan is particularly
vulnerable to avalanches, AKAH has also created a network of 430 trained avalanche preparedness
volunteers, who during winter 2017 helped to evacuate over 2,000 individuals from avalanche prone
areas, saving over 100 lives.
Creating Sustainable Habitats in which Communities can Thrive

In addition to hazard assessments, AKAH also conducts integrated habitat assessments, which look at
the carrying capacity of the habitats in which communities live. As part of this process AKAH works
with the Government and communities on habitat and land use planning, ensuing that communities
build safe and resilient habitats for the future.
AKAH also works on service delivery as safe water and sanitation programmes, reaching over 200
thousand individuals, reducing the risks of water borne diseases, and improving the health of the
community. AKAH also works on the construction of resilient facilities such as Early Childhood
Centres or Medical Centres, such as the flagship Aga Khan Medical Centre in Khorog.
To expand opportunity, AKAH works to ensure that communities have access to education, healthcare
and markets, through facilitating access by building pedestrian or road bridges, or by working to
provide road clearing equipment, when remote and mountainous areas are left isolated for many
months by winter snowfall or flooding.
Partnerships and International Frameworks

AKAH also works to reinforce the Government of Tajikistan’s efforts to build strong emergency
management capacity in the country, working with institutions such as the Committee of Emergency
Situations and Civil Defence under the Government of Tajikistan, the Main Department of Geology
and Hydromet to facilitate integrated habitat planning, to build sound policies, resilient infrastructure
and strong institutions. As such, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat regular holds joint drills and
simulation exercises in emergency response to natural disasters and involves expert capacity to train
government staff in search and rescue, identifying hazard risks and GIS mapping.

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Agency Brief – Tajikistan

Creating Safe and Sustainable Habitats in the High Mountains

Identifying and Reducing Risk

Helping to Build Resilient Communities and Institutions

Creating Sustainable Habitats in which Communities can Thrive

Partnerships and International Frameworks

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