The impact of migration and remittances on natural resources in Tajikistan

Abstract

Tajikistan has been the world's most remittance-dependent economy for a decade. While migration processes have been well documented, their effects on ecological systems deserve greater scholarly and policy engagement. This paper considers the impact of wide-spread labor migration on land and forest resources. Changes to Tajikistan's land tenure regime alongside relative stability after a lost decade of civil war and upheaval have created new opportunities for long-term ecological management. Despite a lack of experience and institutional support, Tajik households are beginning to invest in tree crops and expand woodlands. Migrants and sending communities are emerging as important drivers of land use and forest cover in Tajikistan.