Giant sheep help Tajikistan cope with climate change

Giant sheep help Tajikistan cope with climate change

In the hills outside the Tajik capital Dushanbe, shepherd Bakhtior Sharipov is watching over his flock of giant Hissar sheep.

The breed, prized for its profitability and ability to adapt to climate change, has gained celebrity status in the Central Asian country, which is plagued by a lack of meat and suitable grazing land.

“They gain weight quickly even though there is little water and pasture available,” said 18-year-old Sharipov.

Faced with serious degradation of farmland due to years of overgrazing and global warming, hardy sheep offer potential profits to Tajikistan’s farmers and an abundant supply of goat meat to consumers.

About 250 of the animals — instantly recognizable by the two lumps of fat on their backs — are grazing in the early spring sun under Sharipov’s watch.

“These have an average weight of 135 kilograms (300 pounds). It is the end of winter, so they are not very heavy, but they will gain weight quickly,” he said.

A white Central Asian shepherd dog, almost as big as the sheep he was guarding, stood guard.

The largest Hissar sheep can weigh over 210 kilograms (460 pounds).

Able to produce meat and fat for about two-thirds of their total weight — more than most other breeds, many of which also consume more — they can be profitable for farmers.

“The Hissars are a unique breed, firstly because of their weight,” Sharofzhon Rakhimov, a member of the Tajik Academy of Agricultural Sciences, told AFP.

“In addition, these sheep never stay in the same place so they contribute to the improvement of the soil ecosystem,” he said.

They can roam up to 500 kilometers (300 miles) in search of grazing land between seasons, helping grasslands in different areas to regrow.

Degradation of soil quality is one of the main environmental challenges facing Central Asia.

About 20 percent of the region’s land has already been damaged, affecting 18 million people, according to a United Nations report.

That’s an area of 800,000 square kilometers (nearly 310,000 square miles), equivalent to the size of Turkey.

Dust blown by arid land can trigger cardio-respiratory diseases.

Faced with the problem of their livelihood as their land became less and less productive, many farmers chose to migrate.

In such an environment, the status of Hissar sheep — able to thrive in difficult conditions — is of serious public interest to Tajikistan.

Among the dozens of posters glorifying Tajik President Emomali Rahmon that line the road to the Hissar valley, there is a gold-colored monument to three types of Hissar sheep.

At his biotechnology center near the capital, scientist and breeder Ibrokhim Bobokalonov harnesses the genetic samples of the best specimens in the hope of raising the largest and most profitable sheep.

“The demand for Hissar sheep is growing not only in Tajikistan, but also in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, China and even the United States,” said Bobokalonov.

The animal is even a source of competition in the region.

Tajikistan has recently accused its neighbors of tampering with the breed, crossing it with other local varieties to create heavier sheep.

A Hissar weighing 230 kilograms was recorded at an agricultural competition in Kazakhstan last year, setting a Guinness World Record.

Others in Kyrgyzstan have exceeded 210 kilos.

Tajik farmers say they intend to stay ahead.

“This is Misha. He weighs 152 kilograms and is worth $15,000,” said Bobokalonov as he stood in front of a sheep lying on a scale with its legs tied together.

That amount is equivalent to the average salary of six years in Tajikistan. Bobokalonov plans to sell it later this year.

“I hope that by the time of this summer’s competition, he will weigh 220-230 kilograms. Just by giving him natural food, without doping, he can use around 800 grams a day,” said Bobokalonov.

In Kazakhstan, a sheep sold for $40,000 in 2021.

While farmers love Hissar for their profitability, the sheep are popular among the wider population for their taste.

Lamb meat is an important ingredient in central Asian dishes.

Exploring the offers in the local market, buyer Umedjon Yuldachev agrees.

“You can cook any Tajik national dish with this mutton.”