The traditional technique of soil cultivation in Tajikistan using a plough or a disc for breaking and turning the soil's surface leads to a loss of fertility by the destruction of organic matter, reduced capacity for water retention and soil erosion, especially on slope areas. Therefore, soil cultivation within fields of rainfed annual crops should be limited to a minimum. In order to prevent the negative effects of the traditional cultivation methods, farmers are encouraged to apply the no-tillage or low tillage techniques. When applying the no-tillage technique, the soil is not disturbed as only a small slot is opened for collocating seeds and eventually fertilizer. When applying the low-tillage technique, the soil is cultivated superficially with discs but not turned at all as it occurs by ploughing. Both techniques can be applied by using a single axle (two-wheel hillside) tractors which are promoted by the project. No-tillage or low tillage must be carried out along contour lines on slope areas.

In order to develop good quality fruit yields and to enable the association of fruit growing with vegetable or fodder production in the long-run, optimal fruit tree formation is vital. From the beginning of their lifecycle, fruit trees should be formed by pruning, binding up and spreading branches. For building up stable and light-flooded trees, skeleton and fruit branches should be clearly differentiated. In the later stages of its lifecycle, maintenance pruning is used to remove superfluous fruit branches, shoots and deadwood. This allows sunlight to penetrate the inward of the tree, offering the conditions to produce bigger fruits that taste better. When fruit trees become very high and quality of fruit decline, they can be rejuvenated through rehabilitation pruning. Adequate pruning also can prevent pests and diseases, as is ensures that the trees are not too dense, and wind can pass through. The surface of leaves will consequently dry quickly after rain or dewfall and consequently spores of diseases as powdery mildew will not germinate.

The main aim of IPM is to reduce the infestation of any pest below the threshold of damage. Purchasing chemical pesticides is often too expensive for subsistence farmers. Nevertheless, some form of pest control is still vital, since a serious infestation can lead to a total loss of harvest. In this regard, the project promotes applying IPM, which requires permanent monitoring of the fields’ phytosanitary status, so that adequate measures are taken timely. For ensuring a resilient orchard in the first place, phytosanitary measures and biological pest control should be applied.  Phytosanitary measures imply using certified seedlings, free from pests and diseases. Adequate pruning is important, for removing branches infested by die-back, and for prevention of diseases like mildew, as the leaves dry soon after rainfall or dew. During a pest outbreak, homemade insecticides can be prepared by mixing spices (chilli, garlic, onion, etc.) or toxic plants (walnut, tobacco, etc.) with soap, alcohol or oil. They can be applied for controlling insects, like aphids, thrips, and mites. Another measure for controlling pests consists of providing sources of fodder and hideouts for their natural enemies.

Vegetables or fodder crops can be planted between rows of fruit trees facilitating income from the orchard from the very beginning when fruit trees have not yet entered production. Associating fruit trees with vegetables or fodder crops is especially important in Tajikistan as farmer families have only little irrigated land and thus have to use it intensively. Vegetables can be used for subsistence or sold at market, whilst fodder crops as alfalfa and sainfoin can be planted for producing hay. Other advantages of cultivating fodder plants are that these create habitats and feed pollinators and beneficial insects. Most of the species flower after fruit trees have already blossomed, thereby extending the fodder supply for pollinators and improving conditions for beekeeping. Moreover, fodder plants protect the soil from erosion.

It is cheaper to establish a traditional or semi-intensive orchard with local varieties than an intensive one based on imported seedlings since locally produced plants are cheaper and fewer plants/ha (approximately 500-600 vs 2,600-3,125) are required.

Furthermore, a semi-intensive orchard system based on local varieties allows for better vegetable growing and fodder planting between the trees. This outweighs the disadvantage that orchards established with local varieties and grafted on local rootstocks enter production later than intensive ones (5-6 years vs 2-4 years).

Traditional varieties of fruit trees are normally better adapted to local climate conditions and are more resistant or tolerant to pests and diseases. That implies economic benefits as costs for applying pesticides are reduced considerably, production levels are stable, and less irrigation water is needed.

In addition, local varieties bear fruits much longer (30-50 years vs. 10-12 years). It is recommended to involve specialists and consult with local nurseries before beginning reproduction of fruit trees seedlings since grafting requires some experience. Local nurseries can establish collections of varieties for cutting scions and hand them over to interested fruit growers.

EThekwini Municipality adopted an innovative forest restoration approach termed the ‘Indigenous Trees for Life’ concept that was developed and pioneered by the Wildlands Conservation Trust. The concept involves the training of Tree-preneurs within beneficiary communities. Facilitators teach the Tree-preneurs how to grow and care for indigenous tree seedlings in ‘home nurseries’ until these reach a suitable height. Initial training is done within the community area, and ensures transfer of knowledge about where to collect seeds and how to grow them. Ongoing support and mentoring continues through-out the project. Trees are traded for credit notes, which can be used to purchase groceries, bicycles, building materials, or to pay for school fees or vehicle driving lessons. In addition, a “sustainable livelihoods” approach aims to develop livelihood generation through training community entrepreneurs in local food production techniques. To further enhance and bolster these benefits, a Reforestation Centre of Excellence was established at the Buffelsdraai Reforestation project site. This centre will showcase the innovative reforestation techniques, on-site research by local students, and use of sustainable technologies in the building itself.

In addition to its original conceptualization as a mitigation project, the Buffelsdraai Landfill Site Community Reforestation Project delivers several important adaptation benefits, ensuring the improved supply of a large number of other ecosystem services (e.g. water quality, flood attenuation, sediment regulation, river flow regulation). All of these ecosystem services further enhance the adaptive capacity of local communities and reduce the impacts of short- and long-term climate hazards such as heavy rain events with high erosive capacity, floods and erosion on local residents and grey infrastructure. Thus, it demonstrates the strong and vital link that exists between natural ecosystems and the human communities they support and protect, and between the human communities that support, restore and protect local ecosystems.

Plantation of broom grass (thysanolaena maxima) was promoted at roadsides, barren areas and farmlands. Due to its strong web-like rooting system, broom grass helped prevent soil erosion, and stabilize slopes. Broom grass can regenerate quickly even in degraded land, and does not require much maintenance. It can be used to make brooms, the leaves can feed livestock, and the stems and roots provide fuel wood. As such, broom grass planting provides multiple livelihood opportunities, as well as ecosystem services.

Community ponds in Panchase, located in forests and near settlements, are an example of important green infrastructure. Healthy ponds increase water infiltration by reducing water run-off, can reduce water-induced disasters like landslides, and can help with the storage of rainwater; rainwater storage is particularly important in this mountainous region as it helps protect agricultural land and downstream areas from erosion, flooding and landslides. It also helps ensure year-round availability of water. Restoration activities for this building block included water source protection, repair and maintenance of old ponds, and development of water supply arrangements. First, IUCN helped communities to map ponds, after which some were prioritized based on extent of damage, potential for restoring groundwater, and level of dependency of surrounding communities. Locally available materials were used for repairs, to construct basic irrigation infrastructure, and to channel water from nearby sources to try to maintain water supply for as much of the year as possible. More than 60 community ponds were restored, covering three different sub-watersheds in Panchase. 

The Civil Society Nature Reserves (RNSC) for the Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary is a very important management strategy within the framework of the environmental management of its buffer zone. This process has been carried out since the 1990s in the Municipality of Pasto (Mapachico), and in 2000 with the Social Participation Policy through the ECOANDINO sustainable development project and sustainable systems for conservation.

This resulted in a direct incidence of the peasant civil society in the voluntary conservation and liberation of areas projected to be expanded for productive processes.

At present, this voluntary conservation strategy has more than 200 RNSC and conserves more than 600 ha of high Andean and Andean forest ecosystems in the context of microfundios in the department of Nariño, representing in the area, with a buffer function, an alternative for the continuity of the values under conservation.It has also become a strategy of social fabric where spaces are promoted for the exchange of knowledge, traditional knowledge, products, seeds, creation of bonds of trust, dialogues, where the main actors are the families who are friends of the Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary.