KYRGYZSTAN TCP/KYR/3305

Transcription

1 Country: Project Title: Project Number: KYRGYZSTAN Assistance for Capacity Development in Locust Control TCP/KYR/3305 Starting Date: February 2012 Completion Date: December 2013 Government Ministry responsible for project execution: Ministry of Agriculture FAO Contribution: USD Signed:... Signed:... Bekov Torogul Niyazovich Minister for Agriculture, Republic of Kyrgyzstan (on behalf of Government) Mustapha M. Sinaceur Sub regional Coordinator of FAO-SEC (on behalf of FAO) Date of Signature:... Date of signature:...

2 Tables of Contents List of abbreviations...3 Executive Summary BACKGROUND General Context Sectoral Context Relations with Country Programming Framework (CPF) and UNDAF RATIONALE Problems/Issues to be addressed Beneficiaries Project Justification Past and Related Work FAO s comparative advantage PROJECT FRAMEWORK Impact Outcome Expected outputs and activities Sustainability Risk and Assumptions IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS Institutional Framework and Coordination Strategy and Methodology Government Inputs FAO Contribution OVERSIGHT, MONITORING, INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING Oversight and monitoring Information management and reporting BUDGET AND COST BREAKDOWN (in U.S. Dollars) FAO Budget Cost breakdown ANNEXES Annex 1 Location of the most frequently infested areas in Kyrgyzstan Annex 2 Locust survey and spray monitoring forms Annex 3 Template for Monthly National Locust Bulletin Annex 4 Provisional Workplan Annex 5 Terms of Reference (ToRs): National Consultant, Locust Specialist Annex 6 ToRs: AGPM Locust Officer (LTU Officer) Backstopping Mission Annex 7 ToRs: FAO/SEC Plant Production and Protection Officer - Backstopping Mission Annex 8 ToRs: International Consultant, Locust Specialist Annex 9 ToRs: International Consultant, Locust Control (Spraying) Specialist Annex 10 ToRs: National Project Coordinator Annex 11 TCP General Provisions

3 List of abbreviations AGPM CCA CPF CIT DMA FAO FAO/SEC GIS GPS ha IGR KYR LMI MoA PPE TCP ULV USAID Plant Production and Protection Division (FAO) Caucasus and Central Asia Country Programming Framework Calliptamus italicus (Linnaeus 1758), Italian Locust Dociostaurus maroccanus (Thunberg 1815), Moroccan Locust Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Sub-regional Office for Central Asia Geographical Information System Global Positioning System hectares Insect Growth Regulator Kyrgyzstan Locusta migratoria (Linnaeus 1758), Asian Migratory Locust Ministry of Agriculture Personal protective equipment Technical Cooperation Programme (FAO) Ultra-Low Volume United States Agency for International Development 3

4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Kyrgyzstan, where two-thirds of the population live in rural areas and depends on agriculture, is periodically plagued by the Moroccan Locust (DMA) and the Italian Locust (CIT). During infestations and outbreaks, they attack a wide range of cultivated plants and can cause severe damage, thus jeopardizing food security and livelihood of rural populations. Some of the main hot spots are located close to the borders with the neighboring countries or overlap them. During recent years, there was a significant increase of locust infestations in all five Central Asian countries, with the largest ever treated area in 2008 (157,000 ha) for Kyrgyzstan. Funding appears as a very serious constraint, resulting in lack of adequate means for survey and control operations, which includes both lack of experienced and trained staff as well as shortage of survey, communication, positioning and control equipment. In this context, a request for FAO assistance to adequately carry out survey and control operations in the coming years was formulated by the Kyrgyz delegates during the annual regional meeting held in October 2010, confirmed by an official letter from the Kyrgyz Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) dated 25 November 2010 and reiterated during the 2011 annual meeting as well as through a letter of interest from the Kyrgyz Ministry of Agriculture dated 13 December The present response, built on the basis of the experience gained by FAO in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) and other parts of the world, addresses this request. It is in line with the FAO Country Priority Framework (CPF) in the Kyrgyz Republic , where Pest control services and crop diversification is one of the sector priorities FAO should focus on. The direct beneficiaries of the assistance will be the rural populations who depend for a large part on locally produced food; the indirect beneficiaries will be the national technical of the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine (MoA), whose capacities to deal with locust pests will be improved. The strategic objective of the project is to contribute to preserve food security and livelihoods of populations in Kyrgyzstan, in particular of the most vulnerable rural households, by preventing, controlling and limiting the threats posed by locusts. The outcome of the project will be that locust damage on crops and rangelands will be reduced during the 2012 and 2013 agricultural seasons and beyond, thanks to improved national capacities and better locust management. The project, of USD367,000, will have a two-year duration, from February 2012 to January Its first output is that national capacities of the technical staff will be developed and updated for better locust management, in particular on: locust survey and forecast; control techniques and operations using ultra-low volume (ULV) technology; and monitoring and mitigating the impact of pesticide use on human health and the environment. The second output is that the 2012 and 2013 locust campaigns (and beyond) will be well prepared, implemented and monitored, therefore resulting in limited crop damage as well as significant reduction of locust populations and threat at national and regional levels for the current and following years. Activities will mainly include: provision of technical assistance on locust monitoring and control in the respect of human health and the environment, including technical visits and training courses; one-month internship abroad for a technician; contribution to the preparation and implementation of the next locust campaigns, including for adequate survey and control operations while mitigating and monitoring the impact of pesticide use; delivery of communication and ULV control equipment; and promotion of information exchange and cooperation with neighboring countries. The operations will concern all seven oblasts of the country. The project will be implemented by the FAO Sub-regional Office for Central Asia (FAO-SEC), responsible for project oversight, in close collaboration with the Plant Production and Protection Division (AGPM) at FAO-Headquarters, responsible for technical supervision, and in liaison with the national FAO Representative in Kyrgyzstan as well as in liaison with the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kyrgyzstan. 4

5 1. BACKGROUND 1.1. General Context In Kyrgyzstan, two-thirds of the population live in rural areas and depend on agriculture, which is the largest sector of the national economy. Agriculture (including fisheries and forestry) absorbs one third of the country s total workforce; it contributes to 22 percent of GDP and 24 percent of total exports. However, the Ministry of Agriculture absorbs less than 5 percent of the total state budget (2009) although it is recognized that this sector should be a priority since agricultural growth has the potential to be a key driver of poverty reduction in Kyrgyzstan 1. If agricultural growth means produce more and better, conserving resources and reducing negative impacts in the environment, it also means improve plant protection, in other words keep crop losses due to insect pests to an acceptable minimum. Kyrgyzstan is periodically plagued by locust outbreaks, during which locust pests form voracious hopper bands and adult swarms. They attack a wide range of cultivated plants such as cereal crops, sunflowers, vineyards, vegetable, orchards as well as rangelands and therefore cause severe damage at agricultural, economic and social levels. Locusts jeopardize food security and livelihood and the most affected populations are the most vulnerable communities living in the concerned rural areas. In addition, as many farmers are small land owners, with subsistence agriculture, even limited infestations can cause severe damage at their scale and threaten their livelihoods, which can, in turn, lead to negative social consequences Sectoral Context In Kyrgyzstan, locust infestations are mainly due to two native acridids, the Moroccan Locust (DMA), Dociostaurus maroccanus (Thunberg, 1815), a species of semi-arid areas, and to a lesser extent the Italian Locust (CIT), Calliptamus italicus (Linnaeus, 1758). Large parts of the southwestern and western Kyrgyzstan are affected by spring and summer DMA infestations, in particular in the Jalal-Abad, Batken and Osh provinces (or oblasts). The Italian Locust is mainly present in the North, especially in the Talas and Chui oblasts but also in Naryn and Issyk-Kul oblasts. From a geographical point of view, some of the main hot spots (traditional breeding and outbreak areas) of these two locust pests are located close to the borders with the neighboring countries or overlap them. It is the case for DMA in south-western and western Kyrgyzstan (Jalal-Abad, Batken and Osh oblasts) along the Uzbek and Tajik borders and to a lesser extent in the North (Talas and Chui oblasts) along the Kazakh border. A similar situation occurs for CIT, mainly in northern Kyrgyzstan along the border with Kazakhstan, but also in the South along the borders with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan (See map of the most frequently infested areas in Annex 1). Consequently, any outbreak in these areas is immediately shared with at least one neighboring country. Furthermore, locusts being migrant insects able to fly over up to 100 km by day, back and forth movements of adults (winged locusts) and migrations of swarms are observed across the borders. Consequently, in the absence of regular and timely exchange of pertinent field and technical data between neighboring countries, it is not possible to properly anticipate and manage outbreaks and cross-border movements, which can 1 FAO Country Priority Framework (CPF) in the Kyrgyz Republic , Ministry of Agriculture and Nature Protection/ FAO, September

6 result in large-scale or repeated control operations with likely direct and indirect impacts on food security, human health and the environment. During recent years, there was a significant increase of locust infestations in all five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), with a peak in 2008, mostly due to the Moroccan Locust. In Kyrgyzstan only, the total locustinfested area increased by approximately 140 percent (multiplied by 2.4) between 2005 and In 2008, 163,185 hectares (ha) have been infested and 157,000 ha treated, which corresponded to the largest ever treated area in this country. The DMA-infested areas represented 83 percent of this total, mainly in the south-western and western oblasts. Furthermore, new hot-spots were observed in parts of high mountains, where locust densities had never exceeded the economic injury threshold before. The main reasons for this increase at regional and national levels were the drought in the beginning of the century in addition to changes in the agro-landscape during the past twenty years (from the independence of the ex- Soviet republics), i.e. the decrease of cultivated areas and the development of fallow lands that are highly suitable for locusts (preferred plants for feeding, appropriate bush for roosting and good egg-laying sites) together with the multiplication of isolated small cultivated plots. The current project is part of the Strategic Objective (SO) A of the Organization Sustainable Crop Production Intensification and of the Organizational Result (OR) A2 Risks from outbreaks of transboundary plant pests and diseases are sustainably reduced at national, regional and global levels. It concerns more specifically the Organizational Output (OO) A02G102: Capabilities and capacities of the national, regional, and international entities enhanced for reducing the risk of transboundary plant pests and diseases on agricultural production and livelihoods. It should be noted that the strengthening of national and regional systems aiming at reducing threats on production, health and environment is one of the seven Impact Focus Areas (IFAs) of the Organization, which were defined within the Medium Term Plan (MTP) during its 36 th Session of the FAO Conference in November Relations with Country Programming Framework (CPF) and UNDAF The FAO Country Priority Framework (CPF) in the Kyrgyz Republic , dated 2 September 2011 and jointly owned by the Kyrgyz Government and FAO, identifies the priorities of FAO interventions in the country to support the achievement of the development objectives set by the Government in its national development plan It also reflects those included in the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) in the Kyrgyz Republic for Locust management is fully part of FAO s current field activities in Kyrgyzstan, which falls under two broad functional areas: (1) Policies and activities to enhance growth of individual agriculture to support growth in rural incomes and poverty alleviation; and (2) Management of natural resources in the rural sector. More specifically, in the CPF, the Kyrgyz Government and FAO, through consultative meetings, agreed that FAO should focus on several following sector priorities, including Pest control services and crop diversification, of which locust management is part. The project will contribute to the FAO Strategic Objective A Sustainable crop production intensification and Organizational Result Risks from outbreaks of transboundary plan pests and diseases are sustainably reduced at national, regional and global levels. 6

7 2. RATIONALE 2.1. Problems/Issues to be addressed During the three last campaigns, from 2009 to 2011, the locust situation remained serious in Kyrgyzstan with infested areas reaching almost 150,000 ha in 2009 and amounting 99,000 ha and 61,000 ha in 2010 and 2011 respectively. In 2010, cold and unstable weather conditions with frequent rains during spring resulted in late and long hatching period of locust eggs. Good vegetation in breeding areas limited locust movements into cropping areas. However, new breeding foci of Italian Locust appeared in 2010 in the central and eastern parts of the country (Naryn and Issyk-Kul oblasts). Control operations were carried out mainly against the Moroccan Locust in the South and the West (Jalal-Abad, Batken and Osh oblasts) but also against the Italian Locust in Talas, Issyk-Kul and Naryn oblasts (with 21% of all treatments carried out in Naryn alone, in the central Tian-Shan Mountains). Cross-border movements of locust populations were also observed close to neighboring countries. According to the forecast for 2011 based on the results of the autumn egg-bed surveys, it was planned to carry out spring surveys on 150,000 ha from the end of March up to mid-april, of which 100,000 ha would probably be infested and require chemical treatments. The main infestations were expected to occur in the same areas as in 2010: Jalal-Abad, Batken and Osh oblasts in southern and western Kyrgyzstan, where DMA hatching should occur by mid- April; Talas, Chui and Issyk-Kul oblasts in the North and Naryn oblast in central Kyrgyzstan, where CIT hatching should start from mid-may onwards. The spring egg-bed surveys, carried out in March 2011, showed that the winter period had been unsuitable for over-wintering eggs and that natural mortality due to parasites and fungal diseases varied from 10 to 35%. The forecast for the forthcoming campaign was therefore revised and planned areas to be treated were reduced by one third. The 2011 locust campaign started earlier than expected for the two locust pests: first DMA hatching was observed on April 7 in Osh oblast and one day later in some districts of Jalal-Abad oblast, in the Fergana Valley, i.e. almost two weeks earlier as compared to 2010; CIT hatching started on May 18 in Chui oblast, along the Kazakh border (one week earlier as compared to 2010). A total of 100,874 ha were surveyed and 58,701 ha were treated, including 44,453 ha in Fergana valley (mostly along borders), 14,048 ha in Naryn province (central Tjan-Shan Mountains) and 200 ha in Chui province. However, due to fund shortage, staff decrease of 20% and persistence of insecurity in some areas, it was not possible to fully implement the workplan. Table 1.- Locust infestations in Kyrgyzstan: surveyed, infested and treated (with chemicals) areas during recent years Areas (in ha) Surveyed 156, , , , , ,784 Infested 90,703 95, , ,519 98,722 61,436 Treated 74,500 85, , ,912 90,088 58,701 The related figures for surveyed, infested and treated areas reflect more socio-economical constraints than locust situations, especially in In fact, funding appears as a very serious constraint, resulting in lack of adequate means for survey and control operations, i.e. insufficiently trained human resources and shortage of equipment. A consequence is that control operations are not sufficiently conducted, especially in foothills although these areas represent the main hot spots for locust infestations throughout the country (DMA in southern 7

8 oblasts and CIT in northern ones). The Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) technology, which is worldwide recognized as the most efficient and the less expensive one (in terms of environmental, financial and logistics costs) is the best way to bypass these issues and conduct appropriate locust spraying operations; however, it is still marginal in the country, which lacks both ULV equipment and the competency to use it. Assistance is therefore needed for strengthening national locust management and especially to help Kyrgyzstan improving survey and control operations carried out in the respect of human health and the environment. More specifically, such assistance is required to develop the capacities of the technical staff from the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine of the Ministry of Agriculture. It should concern first locust monitoring in order to allow proper early warning and rapid reaction. Second, particular emphasis should be put on the widespread use of ULV technology for locust control, i.e. having well-trained staff able to adequately spray ULV-formulated pesticides with properly calibrated ULV sprayers, thus increasing efficiency of control operations while mitigating their impact on human health and the environment. This will be achieved through technical assistance and visits for the preparation and implementation of the forthcoming locust campaigns, training, internship and delivery of equipment for demonstration and training purposes in order to allow the country increasing without further delay the operational use of the worldwide recognized ULV technology Beneficiaries The direct beneficiaries of the assistance are the farmers and livestock owners of the locustinfested areas who stand to lose crops or forage as well as the populations in the concerned provinces who depend for a large part on locally produced food. The indirect beneficiaries are the staff of the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine, of the Ministry of Agriculture, whose capacities to deal with locust pests will be developed and improved Project Justification Locust issues are dealt with by the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine (created in 1996) of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and the Regional inspections for chemical treatments and plant quarantine, present in the seven oblasts of the country. Since 1997, substantial assistance was received from the European Commission under its Food Security Programme to cover the annual procurement of inputs for locust control while national budget covered salaries and social funds. Amount of released money was gradually reduced and this assistance ended in In this context, during the regional Technical Workshop on Locust Control in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) which was held in October 2010 in Tajikistan, the delegates from Kyrgyzstan formulated a specific request for assistance to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), concerning the 2011 locust campaign and beyond. This request was also conveyed through a letter dated 25 November 2010, sent by the Minister of Agriculture of Kyrgyzstan to the Director-General of the Organization. It was indicated that the national budget for locust control would not adequately cover the needs for locust management and that there were a shortage of survey, communication, positioning and control equipment as well as a lack of experienced and trained staff. 8

9 A project document addressing the issues raised by the country was prepared in early 2011 but, due to a number of major crises to be tackled by FAO, it was not possible to identify an appropriate funding during the three first quarters of the year. The need for assistance was reiterated by the two Kyrgyz delegates during the Technical Workshop on Locusts in CCA, which was held in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 24 to 28 October 2011 and related updated information was provided. In particular, they highlighted again the urgent need of welltargeted training for the technical staff in order to compensate the reduction in staff number by increased staff skills. The request for assistance was reiterated once more through by a letter of interest dated 13 December 2011 sent by the Minister of Agriculture of Kyrgyzstan to the Sub-regional Coordinator for Central Asia. The request for assistance concerned strengthening national capacities as well as procurement of equipment (Global Positioning System, phones, office material, sprayers, pesticides and personal protective clothing) for adequate survey and control operations, including treatments over 30,000 ha using modern techniques (Ultra Low Volume technology). The present response addresses this request subject to available funds, with particular attention given to: 1) field data collection and analysis for subsequent accurate forecast and appropriate early warning; 2) adequate and timely control operations carried out by well-trained technical staff using modern techniques; 3) safe pesticide storage and handling; 4) assessment of control efficacy; 5) mitigating and monitoring of the impact of control operations on human health and the environment, including prevention of use of empty pesticide drums; and 6) joint cross-border locust operations Past and Related Work In the past, FAO provided emergency assistance for controlling locust outbreaks to several CCA countries (Afghanistan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan). Final recommendations of these national projects called for long-term locust management and regional cooperation, training, improved monitoring and further introduction or development of new more environmentally friendly control technologies. It is indeed essential to address locust issues in a broad perspective, with focus on improved locust management, capacity building -especially on locust monitoring in order to allow early warning and early reaction, and on introduction of new and more environmentally friendly control technologies- and regional cooperation. To that end and since simultaneous requests for assistance were received from all CCA countries, a two-year regional project (TCP/INT/3202) funded by the FAO Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP), which included Kyrgyzstan and eight other CCA countries, was approved in early Its main outputs were the design and endorsement by all countries of a Five-year regional Programme for sustainable improvement of national and regional locust management, based on preventive control; the development of regional cooperation; the creation of a regional early warning system 2 ; and the strengthening of locust monitoring and control capacities in particular in two countries, Georgia and Uzbekistan. These achievements were very promising. Preventive control will now be developed in the whole CCA region in the framework of the abovementioned Five-year Programme. It was officially launched during the Technical Workshop on Locusts in CCA held in October 2011 in Georgia. The total funding of the Five-year Programme is of USD7,8 million, out of which USD2,4 million are secured (USD1,6 million 2 This included: adoption of standard survey and spray monitoring forms, issuance and posting of national and regional monthly bulletins from April 2010 and for the duration of the locust season on the newly-created bilingual FAO website Locust Watch in CCA ( 9

10 from the United States Agency for International Development, USD0,6 million from the FAO-Turkey Partnership Programme and USD0,2 million from the FAO Regular Programme); complementary funding is actively sought. In the meantime, specific assistance in view of the forthcoming locust campaigns is envisaged for two CCA countries facing serious locust issues and suffering from technical gap and severe financial constraints, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan FAO s comparative advantage Consistent with its mandate, FAO plays an important role in coordinating efforts to manage locust issues at global level. It benefits from a unique expertise and experience in this regard; in particular, it provides technical assistance for supporting adequate and timely locust monitoring, introducing less hazardous pesticides and updated techniques for locust control and promoting their use - thus safeguarding human health and the environment, strengthening national capacities and developing regional cooperation for dealing better with these transboundary plant pests. This role is partly ensured in the framework of the EMPRES Programme, which was initiated in 1994 by the Director-General of FAO, with a component focusing on the Desert Locust 3. This Programme was successfully implemented around the Red Sea 4 from 1997 to 2006 and in West and North-West Africa 5 from 2006 onwards. It is currently being extended to Caucasus and Central Asia for the Italian, Migratory and Moroccan Locust species in the framework of the Five-year Programme for improving national and regional locust management in CCA. 3. PROJECT FRAMEWORK 3.1. Impact The strategic objective of the project is to contribute to preserve food security and livelihoods of populations in Kyrgyzstan, in particular of the most vulnerable rural households, by preventing, controlling and limiting the threats posed by locusts Outcome The outcome of the project will be that locust damage on crops and rangelands will be reduced during the forthcoming 2012 and 2013 agricultural seasons and beyond thanks to improved national technical capacities and better locust management in Kyrgyzstan Expected outputs and activities The project will have a two-year duration, from February 2012 to January 2014, in order to support the 2012 and 2013 locust campaigns and prepare the 2014 one. Project expected outputs and activities are detailed below. 3 Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål 1775). 4 In the so-called Central Region of the Desert Locust distribution area: Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. 5 Known as the Western Region of the Desert Locust distribution area: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Senegal and Tunisia. 10

11 Output 1: National capacities of the technical staff from the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine developed and updated for better locust management, in particular on: (a) locust survey and forecast; (b) control techniques and operations using Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) technology and (c) mitigation and monitoring of the impact of pesticide use on human health and the environment, including through clear messages towards rural populations to prevent the use of empty pesticide drums. Activities: Provide technical assistance including delivery of training courses for 11/12 persons, with special focus on women when present as MoA staff members involved in locust management - to national technical staff for carrying out accurate and timely surveys, analyzing collected data, establishing forecasts and reporting periodically,; Provide technical assistance including delivery training courses for 11/12 persons, with special focus on women when present as MoA staff members involved in locust management - to national technical staff for carrying out control operations using ULV technology and for mitigating and monitoring impact of pesticide use on human health and the environment, including through broadcasting of messages to local populations; Allow one-month internship abroad for one staff member of the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine. Special attention will be dedicated to candidatures of women. Adequate locust monitoring is fundamental to anticipate outbreak development; as such it constitutes the cornerstone of the preventive control strategy. It relies on accurate and timely field data collection and transmission using standardized forms (See Annex 2), data analysis, forecasting as well as reporting using the national monthly bulletin template (See Annex 3). If correctly done, it allows early warning and early reaction and subsequent better management of locust situations; it is well known that the earliest a locust outbreak is dealt with, the better it is managed at different levels: hopper target for treatments, less pesticides and funds required for small infestations, possibility to use slow acting pesticides if cropping areas are not yet under immediate threat, minor impact on the environment, etc. For this reason, the project will allow Kyrgyzstan to benefit from a technical visit of an internationally recognized specialist of survey techniques, including data collection, transfer, reporting, analysis and forecast (see Annex 8). Such assistance will include a training session for 10/12 national agents involved in locust monitoring. Technical advice will also be provided regularly by the Officers of the Plant Production and Protection Division (AGPM), both from FAOheadquarters and during a backstopping mission (see Annex 6). Improving campaign management and locust spraying in the respect of human health and the environment means appropriate and timely control operations carried out with updated and efficient techniques as well as less environmentally hazardous pesticides and formulations. In addition to campaign management, assistance will therefore mainly concern updated spraying practices, use of Ultra-Low Volume technology (which has been worldwide recognized as the most efficient and the less harmful to combat locusts when appropriately applied by welltrained technical staff using properly calibrated and maintained sprayers), less harmful pesticides and alternatives to conventional pesticides such as Insect Growth Regulators (synthetic molecules which hamper the moult process during hopper development). Special emphasis will be given to mitigating and monitoring the impact of locust control operations on human health and the environment. This includes suitable, increased and updated information delivered to all staff involved in survey and control operations for adoption of appropriate measures before, during and after treatments, assessment of impact of control operations on human health and non-target organisms and broadcasting of messages towards 11

12 rural populations concerning measures to be applied before, during and after control operations (respect of withholding periods of no use of empty pesticide drums) and special attention will be paid to women education in this regard. To that end, an internationally recognized specialist of spraying operations and of monitoring locust treatments and their impact on human health and the environment will carry out a technical visit in Kyrgyzstan and organize a training session for 10/12 national agents involved in control operations (See Annex 9). Technical advice will also be provided regularly by the AGPM Officers, both from FAO-headquarters and during a backstopping mission. Last, since Kyrgyzstan suffers from a lack of locust specialists and because the sustainability of the existing expertise is a crucial question, the project will provide the possibility for one staff member of the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine to make an internship abroad, either in another CCA country or outside the region, following identification and agreement of an appropriate research center or locust control unit. The expertise gained at this occasion will benefit to the whole national Department. Output 2: 2012 and 2013 locust campaigns well prepared, implemented and monitored, and therefore crop damage limited, locust populations significantly reduced, and locust threat reduced both at national and regional levels for the current and following years. Activities: Contribute to the preparation and implementation of the 2012 and 2013 locust campaigns as well as to the preparation of the 2014 campaign; Conduct adequate, geo-referenced and documented survey operations; Conduct adequate, geo-referenced and documented ground control operations with conventional pesticides and Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) in ULV formulation, including on 16,000/18,000 ha in 2012 thanks to project inputs, and assess locust control efficacy; Mitigate and monitor impact of pesticide use (during control operations and pesticide handling and storage); Deliver timely and clear messages to the rural populations, with special focus on women; Promote exchanges and joint operations with neighboring countries (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan). The operations will concern all seven oblasts of the country. The project will contribute to conduct adequate survey and control operations thanks to the delivery of communication (office material) and control equipment (control kits, sprayers, pesticides and personal protective clothing). On the basis of the forecast made by the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine, it is expected that approximately 60,000 ha will need to be treated during the 2012 locust campaign, out of which 16,000/18,000 ha thanks to pesticides provided by the project. Chemical control will be undertaken with the pesticides registered in Kyrgyzstan. As far as possible, the concerned pesticides will be in ULV formulation because it corresponds to the formulation recognized as the most appropriate for locust control (adequate range of droplet sizes to be carried out by wind over 100 meters using the technique of controlled drift and hit locusts or vegetation). Quality assessment will be conducted to evaluate the efficacy of control operations. All efforts will also be made to mitigate impact of pesticide use on human health and the environment, which includes use of Personal Protective Equipment and safe handling of pesticides, collect and storage of empty containers, and deliver appropriate information to the rural populations, with special focus on women. The empty containers will be dealt with in 12

13 accordance with FAO guidelines (in particular, they will be triple rinsed and punctured to avoid their re-use for other purposes) 6. Such impact on human health and the environment will be assessed, both on human health (cholinesterase level in operators blood) and on the environment (non-target organisms, soil, water). All operations will be duly documented by the National Consultant, Locust Expert (See Annex 5), who will send eight monthly bulletins per year during the locust season (from March to October), using the previously mentioned template. He will also ensure liaison with neighboring countries in view of information exchange and coordination of cross-border operations if necessary. The AGPM Officers will review the national monthly bulletins and provide assistance for locust data analysis and forecast, deliver technical advice on campaign preparation and implementation, and promote exchanges with neighboring countries. More details on project implementation are provided in the provisional workplan in Annex Sustainability This project is a response to the locust infestations expected in 2012 and 2013 and to the need to strengthen the national capacities for regular surveys and use of appropriate control technology. It is in line with the objectives of the regional Five-year Programme to improve national and regional locust management in CCA, which includes Kyrgyzstan together with ten other countries. The Five-year Programme is based on locust preventive control, which consists in appropriate monitoring of locust populations at key periods of their development in order to allow early detection of changes in number, density and behaviour. Such monitoring and related data analysis result in adequate early warning and early reaction, which aim at reducing occurrence and intensity of locust outbreaks and preventing their development into major upsurges. This is the only possible way for sustainable locust management, together with regional cooperation as locusts are transboundary plant pests. The endorsement (October 2009) and official launching (October 2011) of the Programme by the national representatives of the ten concerned countries, including Kyrgyzstan, is considered as a clear sign of the willingness of the countries to develop a long-term and sustainable approach for locust management. The countries have taken indeed a number of engagements, which were clearly stated in the roadmap of the Five-year Programme and which aim at ensuring the smooth implementation of activities at national and regional level. They include preparation and sharing of monthly national bulletins as well as annual survey/control plans (which is the basis for locust monitoring), participation in annual regional meetings (considered as key factors for ownership, motivation, and capacity-building), involvement in developing a Geographical Information System (GIS) for data analysis and forecast (which is crucial for locust monitoring), preparation of contingency plans for enhanced preparedness, etc. The present TCP will allow enhancing national capacities in Kyrgyzstan with a view of developing a sustainable preventive control strategy. Capacity building will be done through training, provision of equipment for widespread use of ULV technology and operational support during the two next locust campaigns. The project will also allow Kyrgyzstan reducing the gap with better funded, equipped and trained CCA countries, which is a prerequisite to ensure a consistent and sustainable locust regional management. Promotion of exchanges with neighboring countries is fully part of the long-term strategy to ensure appropriate locust management in CCA

14 3.5. Risk and Assumptions Risk Impact Probability Mitigation Unavailability of human resources, including national and international experts and interpreters. Delay in project implementation Insufficient funding in particular for pesticide procurement Creation of obsolete pesticide stocks Adverse health and environmental impacts of pesticides used Internal troubles Scheduled assistance and action plan delayed and extension of the locust issues Increased infested areas to be treated the next year Increased infested areas to be treated the next year Health/environmental risks, additional costs associated with disposal of stocks Beneficiaries health and environment compromised; Reputational risk to FAO No data from insecure areas and control operations impeded. Low Low Medium Low Low Medium Regularly update a roster of relevant resource persons and institutions Monitor accurately the egg-beds and motivate and involve the rural populations Monitor accurately the egg-beds and motivate and involve the rural populations Minimum quantities of pesticides will be procured to ensure complete use within the duration of the project All pesticide applicators will be fully trained on calibration and use of application equipment, personal protection and pesticide hazards and risk mitigation actions Gather historical data; collect accurate information from nearby areas in order to establish forecast from their analysis 4. IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS 4.1. Institutional Framework and Coordination Project will be implemented by the FAO Sub-regional Office for Central Asia (FAO-SEC) in close collaboration with the Plant Production and Protection Division (AGPM) at FAO- Headquarters and the national FAO Officer in Kyrgyzstan as well as in liaison with the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) of Kyrgyzstan Strategy and Methodology Survey and control activities will be directly implemented by the staff from the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine (more specifically from the Plant Protection and Pesticides Registration Section) and the Regional inspections for chemical treatments and plant quarantine. Special emphasis will be given to women s participation during the whole project cycle, including during training when present as MoA staff members involved in locust management. Administrative and organizational tasks for project implementation will be ensured by the National Project Coordinator, designated by the Government (See Annex 10). The person responsible for the technical supervision and implementation of the project in the field will be an experienced Locust Specialist recruited as FAO National Consultant. He/she will be seconded to the project for a total of 270 days (15 days/month during 18 months) split into two periods (See Annex 5). FAO staff and international and national consultants will deliver specific training/refresher courses on locust survey, field data analysis, reporting and forecast (March/April 2012) as well 14

15 as on control operations using ULV technology and appropriate use of pesticides (April/May 2012) for a total of 11/12 technical staff per training, who will themselves further deliver training to their colleagues in the field. Last, one backstopping mission of the Locust Officer, AGPM, and one mission of the Plant Production and Protection Officer, FAO/SEC, will be fielded in Kyrgyzstan, ideally at key periods of the locust development 7, in order to assist in project implementation (in particular through data collection and analysis and revision of work plans if needed), assess the project progress and its main achievements, estimate the progress made towards sub-regional cooperation with the neighboring countries and provide additional on-the-spot training as required (see detailed ToRs in Annexes 6 and 7) Government Inputs As part of its contribution to the project, the Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine, shall make available the requisite number of qualified national personnel and the buildings, training facilities, equipment, transport to carry out surveys and treatment operations and other local services necessary for the implementation of the project. The Government will ensure the payment of salaries of the national staff who will be directly involved in the project, including a National Project Coordinator, as well as the staff from the National Department for the Plant Chemical Treatment, Protection and Quarantine and from the Regional inspections for chemical treatments and plant quarantine who will benefit from training under the project. If considered as appropriate, the Government will also ensure that timely mechanical destruction of egg-beds and early-instar hopper bands is conducted by the rural communities in order to prevent the expansion of the infestations and thus reduce the use of chemical pesticides. Subject to any security provisions in force, the Government shall furnish to FAO and to its personnel working on the project, if any, such relevant reports, tapes, records and other data as may be required for the execution of the project. The Government will ensure tax exemption for all project equipment and material FAO Contribution Staff costs International Consultants (BL 5542) International Consultant, Locust Specialist, (total of 15 days in one mission of 12 days) Annex 8 International Consultant, Spraying Specialist (total 20 days in one mission of 18 days) Annex 9 7 Exact dates between April and July to be defined later, according to the field situation and after discussion with national staff. 15

16 National Consultants (BL 5543) National Consultant, Locust Specialist (270 days, i.e. 15 days/month during 18 months in two periods) Annex 5 National Interpreter (50 days). Travel Travel-Technical Supervisory Missions (BL 5692) One backstopping mission of AGPM Officer (total 35 days with one mission of 15 days) Annex 6 One backstopping mission of a FAO/SEC Officer (total of 10 days with one mission of 7 days) Annex 7 Duty Travel (BL 5661) In-country travel cost of staff of FAO Representation in Kyrgyzstan. Travel-International Consultants (BL 5684) International Consultant, Locust Specialist (12 days) International Consultant, Spraying Specialist (18 days) Travel-National Consultant (BL 5685) In-country travel for National Consultant, Locust Specialist. Travel-Training (BL 5694) One month internship abroad for one national staff. Expendable equipment (BL6000) 6,000 litres of conventional pesticides to treat 6,000 ha 2,000 litres of Insect Growth Regulators to protect 10,000 to 12,000 ha 100 kits of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 1 kit for measuring blood AChE levels Oil-sensitive papers (to be requested together with the pesticide order). Non-expendable equipment (BL6100) 20 Micro Ulva (hand-held sprayer) including one set of batteries 3 Micron AU 8000 (knapsack sprayer) 2 Micronair AU 8115 (vehicle-mounted sprayer) 2 control kits to ensure proper calibration of sprayers and measurement of control parameters. They include compass, anemometers, hygrometers, nets, etc.. Office equipment (1 desktop, 1 laptop, printer/scanner, photocopier, softwares, mobile phones) and 1 digital camera. Training (BL 5023) Internship abroad for one national locust specialist. 16

17 Two five-day workshops, each for 11/12 technical staff: the first one on locust survey, data analysis and forecast; and the second one on control operations using ULV technology and appropriate use of pesticides. FAO Technical Support Services (TSS) (BL5027) AGPM Officers: 35 days (including 1 mission of 15 days each and 20 days at headquarters for desk work) FAO/SEC Officers: 13 days (including 1 mission of 10 days and 3 days for desk work at FAO/SEC). Standard reporting cost. General Operating Expenses (BL 5028) Miscellaneous expenses for operating the project at the country level, telephone and other communications, general utilities, hiring of vehicles when necessary, fuel and other operating costs including collect of empty pesticides drums. In addition, the preparation of the project Terminal Statement is covered under this budget line. Direct Operating Costs (BL 5029) Seven percent of total project expenditures. 5. OVERSIGHT, MONITORING, INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING 5.1. Oversight and monitoring Project oversight, including administrative and operational supervision, will be ensured by FAO-SEC while technical supervision will be ensured by AGPM. Monitoring of activities, expenditures and available resources, will be ensured by the FAO-SEC, and more specifically the Plant Protection and Protection Officer of SEC, in close liaison with AGPM, and more specifically with the Senior Officer (Transboundary Plant Pests) and the Locust Programme Officer Information management and reporting In collaboration with FAO Staff and International Consultants, the National Consultant, Locust Specialist, will prepare monthly bulletins on locust and anti-locust situations during the two locust campaigns (from February to October 2012 and from February to October 2013), to be sent to FAO Headquarters (AGPM) by the fifth of each month. The bulletins will be prepared using the template provided in Annex 3 and agreed upon during the Regional Consultation (Almaty, Kazakhstan, October 2009). In addition, they will present detailed information on the status of project activities (including on survey and control operations, delivery and use of inputs, training courses, etc.). The National Consultant, Locust Specialist, will also prepare three progress reports (every sixmonth from the effective starting date of the project) on campaign and project implementation, focusing on results obtained and presenting conclusions and recommendations for future 17

18 actions. Last, he/she will prepare the draft terminal report within 45 days after the end of the project. The draft terminal report should comply with FAO reporting guidelines and include an assessment of the project impact, conclusions and recommendations, and proposals for follow-up. The progress and terminal reports will be submitted to AGPM for review and technical clearance as well as to the FAO Sub-regional Office for Central Asia for final clearance. 6. BUDGET AND COST BREAKDOWN (in U.S. Dollars) 6.1. FAO Budget Accts Input Description Total budget (USD) 5013 Consultants 39, Consultants - International 12, Consultants - National 27, Overtime 5, Casual Labour - Temporary Assistance 5, Travel 40, Travel Consultants - International 23, Travel Consultants - National 5, Travel TSS 12, Training 28, Training Budget 28, Expendable Procurement 156, Expendable Procurement Budget 156, Non Expendable Procurement 30, Non Expendable Procurement Budget 30, Technical Support Services Report Costs 2, Honorarium TSS 26, General Operating Expenses 16, General Operating Expenses Budget 16, Support Costs 24, Support Costs Budget 24,009 Grand Total 367,000 18

19 6.2. Cost breakdown Cost breakdown Amount (USD) Consultants 39,250 International Locust expert, 350 US$ / day for 15 days 5,250 International Spraying expert, 350 US$ / day for 20 days 7,000 National Locust Specialist, 100 US$ / day for 270 days 27,000 Overtime 5,000 National interpreter, 100 US$/ day for 50 days 5,000 Travel 40,220 Duty travel of FAO (AGPM) Locust expert: Air ticket and DSA (204 US$/ day for 15 days) Duty travel of FAO/SEC Officer: Air ticket and DSA (204 US$/ day for 10 days) Travels of international Locust expert: Air ticket and DSA (204 US$/ day for 12 days) Travels of international Spraying expert: Air ticket and DSA (204 US$/ day for 18 days) 8,060 4,040 11,448 11,672 Travel National Consultant, Locust Expert 5,000 Expendable equipment 156,000 Conventional pesticides, incl. oil-sensitive papers: 6,000l (US$ 18/ l) 108,000 Insect Growth Regulators: 2,000 l (US$ 18 / l) 36,000 Protective Equipment, kit for 100 persons 7,000 Testmates for monitoring of exposure to pesticides, 1 unit 5,000 Non-expendable equipment 30,100 Office equipment: desktop, laptop, printer/scanner, photocopier, software, digital camera, mobile phones Control equipment 4,000 MicroUlva + (hand-held sprayer): 20 units (80 US$/unit) 1,600 Micron AU 8000 (knapsack sprayer): 3 units (1,500 US$/unit) 4,500 Micronair AU 8115 (vehicle-mounted sprayer): 2 units (9,550 US$/unit) 19,100 Control kits: 2 units 900 Training 28,000 Training courses on survey operations, data analysis and forecast 6,000 Training courses on control operations and safe use of pesticides 6,000 Internship abroad for national locust expert (1 month) 16,000 GOE, incl. Collection of empty pesticide drums 16,057 TSS 28,364 Technical Support from FAO HQ and FAO-SEC, 48 days 26,064 Reporting 2,300 Sub-total 342,991 Indirect program support costs (7% of subtotal project costs) 24,009 Total project cost 367,000 19

20 7. ANNEXES Annex 1 Location of the most frequently infested areas in Kyrgyzstan Moroccan Locust (DMA) Italian Locust (CIT) 20

21 1- Locust survey form Annex 2 Locust survey and spray monitoring forms <COUNTRY> <Province> <District> Observer s name:... 1 SURVEY STOP date (day/month/year) & time 1-2 name of the village or site 1-3 latitude (N) 1-4 longitude (E) 1-5 GPS use? (Y or N) Y N Y N Y N Y N Y N 2 ECOLOGY 2-1 surface of surveyed area (ha) 2-2 habitat CIT (steppe, fallow, crops) habitat DMA (plain, hill, crops) habitat LMI (short dry reeds, tall wet reeds, other) habitat other species 2-3 vegetation (dry, greening, green, drying) 2-4 vegetation cover (Low Medium Dense) L M D L M D L M D L M D L M D 2-5 weather: air temperature (ºC) 2-6 weather: wind (m/s) 3 LOCUSTS 3-1 present or absent P A P A P A P A P A 3-2 area infested (ha) 4 EGGS 4-1 egg-bed (surface in m²) 4-2 egg-pods (density/m²) 4-3 eggs (average number/egg-pod) 4-4 eggs (% viable) 4-5 natural enemies present (which?) 5 HOPPERS 5-1 hatching 5-2 hopper stages (Young Medium Large) Y M L Y M L Y M L Y M L Y M L 5-3 appearance (solitary, transiens, gregarious) S T G S T G S T G S T G S T G 5-4 behaviour (isolated, scattered, groups) I S G I S G I S G I S G I S G 5-5 hopper density (/m²) 6 BANDS 6-1 band stage (Small Medium Large) S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L 6-2 band density (/m² or Low Medium High) 6-3 band sizes (m² or ha) 6-4 number of bands 6-5 Marching, Eating, Roosting M E R M E R M E R M E R M E R 7 ADULTS 7-1 fledging (% beginning & mass) 7-2 maturity (immature, mature) I M I M I M I M I M 7-3 appearance (solitary, transiens, gregarious) S T G S T G S T G S T G S T G 7-4 behaviour (isolated, scattered, groups) I S G I S G I S G I S G I S G 7-5 adult density (/transect or /ha) 7-6 breeding (copulating, laying) C L C L C L C L C L 7-8 flying Y N Y N Y N Y N Y N 8 SWARMS 8-1 swarm density (/m² or Low Medium High) 8-2 swarm size (km² or ha) 8-3 number of swarms 8-4 breeding (copulating, laying) C L C L C L C L C L 8-5 flying (direction, time passing) 8-6 flying height (Low Medium High) L M H L M H L M H L M H L M H 9 COMMENTS 18

22 2- Locust spray monitoring form 19

23 Annex 3 Template for Monthly National Locust Bulletin COUNTRY BODY (MINISTRY/DEPARTMENT/SERVICE) IN CHARGE OF LOCUST MANAGEMENT <Create a header with name of the country + Name & coordinates of the body in charge of locust management> MONTHLY NATIONAL LOCUST BULLETIN No... Situation level (by each species separately: CIT, DMA, LMI, other): Calm Caution Threat Danger Insert a colour box to indicate the situation level as follows for Locust warning levels. A colour-coded scheme indicates the seriousness of the current locust situation: green for calm, yellow for caution, orange for threat and red for danger. This scheme should be applied to the monthly bulletin s header. The levels indicate the perceived risk or threat of current locust infestations to crops and appropriate actions are suggested for each level. Insert a summary of 10 lines maximum presenting the general locust, weather, vegetation/crops situation and information on control operations during the past month, as well as the likely developments up to 1.5 month. 1. Weather/Ecological/Vegetation/Crops Conditions during [indicate name of the month considered + year] 2. Area Treated (by each species separately: CIT, DMA, LMI, other) Provide information on treated areas: location, number of hectares treated & dates/period of control operations. 3. Locust Situation and Forecast 3.1. Detailed situation (by each species separately: CIT, DMA, LMI, other) - Chronologic synthesis of the situation observed during the month, ideally by decade. - Present this synthesis by region/geographical entity. - Indicate: stage of development (and instar for hoppers) and behaviour (marching/eating/fledging for hoppers, roosting/flying/eating), density, phase, locations (with GPS coordinates) where observations were made or infestations reported. For all these data, reference is made to the Standard Survey Form. - Nature of control operations using data of the Standard Control Form. - Details on cross-border operations (joint surveys and control) Forecast (by each species separately: CIT, DMA, LMI, other) Based on knowledge of the locust bio-ecology, experience and past similar situations, present the expected developments for the next month and a half (or for the next year if it is the last bulletin of the locust season/campaign) Map(s) (by each species separately: CIT, DMA, LMI, other) Insert a map presenting current situation and expected developments during the considered forecast period. 4. Announcements Other information concerning: - Recent and forthcoming meetings & workshops (national & regional) - Recent and forthcoming training sessions (national & regional) - Other 20