Summer School: Inter-Regional School for Young Pastoralists 2026

As a co-organizer, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through the Green Climate Fund (GCF)-funded Carbon Sequestration through Climate Investments in Forests and Rangelands in the Kyrgyz Republic (CS-FOR) Project, will contribute to the implementation of the Inter-Regional School for Young Pastoralists 2026 – Kyrgyzstan by organizing technical sessions in Bishkek and leading field-based learning activities in Son-Kol as part of the School’s programme, which also includes activities in Suusamyr and Issyk-Kul.

Representatives of the Community Landscape Management Groups (CLMGs) established under the project will participate in the opening sessions in Bishkek, sharing their experiences in community-based natural resource management and sustainable pasture governance. They will also contribute to the programme by facilitating a practical field workshop on traditional pasture monitoring and sustainable pasture management in Son-Kol. Participants will learn traditional methods of assessing pasture conditions, grazing management practices, and community-based approaches to sustainable rangeland management through hands-on field demonstrations and interactive learning.

In addition, FAO's GIS specialist will conduct a masterclass on digital monitoring approaches, demonstrating the use of FAO Open Foris Arena and Arena Mobile, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), GPS technologies, and other digital tools for monitoring forests and rangelands.

The FAO-supported programme will also feature interactive learning activities designed to strengthen peer-to-peer exchange among young pastoralists, including traditional Kyrgyz team games, practical field exercises, and cultural activities that foster leadership, intercultural dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among participants from different countries and regions.