On 26 November, Rural Development Fund held an information meeting, “Jer-Bailygy-El Bailygy”, in Talas oblast, as part of the activities of the National Engagement Strategy of Kyrgyzstan of the International Land Coalition (ILC, www.landcoalition.org).
The participants included school teachers from Talas district, parents of schoolchildren who are concerned about conservation of natural resources, access to them, and fair sharing of benefits. Also, representatives of the local government and mass media were present.
The meeting was devoted to the theme of “Access and equitable distribution of benefits from the use of local resources” of the Nagoya Protocol, and held a motto, “Each resource of the Kalba gorge is equal to gold”. Participants actively expressed their opinions during the discussions, discussedthe problems which they face in the area on biodiversity conservation. Also, they exchanged their opinions on the need to inform all residents and especially the leaders of the villages, since they asknowledged that the issues of genetic resources of the area, their export outside the community and the country, access to information about international documents such as the Nagoya Protocol were so important and urgent. They emphasized the importance of educating the younger generations through school programmes in geography, history, biology, and other social subjects such as the Kyrgyz language and literature. They feel that all these courses need to include examples of local natural resources through new innovative methods, such as the use of an interactive whiteboards, “green classes” and school nurseries.