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The Great Silk Road in Kyrgyzstan

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Kyrgyzstan, a part of the Great Silk Road, has so much to share with the world. This picturesque country has a huge variety of attractions, among which the main ones are mountains and lakes.

Mountains Tien Shan and Pamir, with the world famous Victory Peak and Lenin Peak, made Kyrgyzstan a destination for climbers. Kyrgyz mountain gorges are also ideal for trekking, while rivers are great for rafting.

The mountain gorge “Jeti-Oguz” is a wonderful place full of flowers in spring and summer times. “Jeti-Oguz” derived its name (Kyrgyz: “Seven Bulls”) from the chain of the red stoned rocks, which resemble seven bulls lying on the ground. A local attraction is the “Broken Heart” rock, which comes from a legend that tells about a young beautiful woman who had her heart broken when two men died in a fight for her love. Now, “Broken Heart” rock is a place for young couples where they confess about their feelings and believe that their love will never fade away.

Among the lakes, one of the most beautiful is Issyk-Kul Lake, which translates from Kyrgyz as “warm lake” due to its never freezing water while surrounded by the snowy peaks. People of Kyrgyzstan consider it to be a true pride and a jewel of the country. Located in the northeastern part of the country, between the ridges of the Northern Tien Shan at an altitude of 1609 meters above sea level. One of the stopovers of the Silk Road, Issyk-Kul is believed to be the place of origin of the Black Death, which hit Europe and Asia in 14th century. Nowadays, Issyk-Kul is the second lake in the world for water clarity after Lake Baikal in Russia and an ideal summer place with its golden sand beaches and warm climate.

Kyrgyzstan also has architectural sights. One of them is “Tash Rabat”, which is located in the Naryn region of Kyrgyzstan at an altitude of 3500 meters above sea level. Built in the 15th century, Tash Rabat served as a caravanserai on the Silk Road, an inn for merchants and travelers. It is also a place for argument of the cultural origins of the site for historians, as some say it was built during the Middle Ages, while others say it is ruins of the Christian Nestorian monastery of the 10th -11th centuries.

Related article: “KYRGYZSTAN CULTURE” 

kyrgyzstan-tourism4 In the Photo: Tash Rabat

Another unique piece of nature in Kyrgyzstan is “Arslanbob”, located in the southern part of the country in the Jalal-Abad region; it is the biggest relict walnuts forest in the world. Arslanbob produce around 1,500 tons of walnut harvest per year, as well as up to 5,000 tons of apples, pistachios and plums. It is also a place of two beautiful waterfalls that are perfect for chilling in the hot summer, green meadows and above all these a snowy peak “Babash-Ata”. A legend says that Alexander The Great, during his campaign on Sogdiana got to the area of Arslanbob from where he took fruits and nuts of the local forest and introduced and cultivated them in Greece. Based on this legend, Kyrgyz walnuts are nowadays also known as “greek nuts”.

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In the Photo: Arslanbob forest

There so many places to visit in Kyrgyzstan in addition to the above mentioned. Tourism sector is developing despite of the economic problems. In addition to the mostly summer-type of attractions, Kyrgyzstan is currently developing winter ski tourism as well. Mountains are giving amazing opportunities for its further development. Currently there are few ski resorts that are fully equipped with modern ski lifts, routes with varying length and complexity, hotels, restaurants, conference halls and parking areas.

One of the best ski resorts is “Karakol” at an altitude of 2300 meters above the sea, located in the Issyk-Kul region 7 km away of the city of Karakol. During the Soviet times it was used by the members of USSR Olympic Team. In 2005 it went under renovation and currently it has new routs with the highest point at 3040 meters. In addition to the general facilities, there is a spa, an ice-ring and a helipad.

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In the Photo: (right) “Karakol” Ski Resort

Finally, there are the cities. Bishkek, the capital, offers great examples of Soviet architecture and monuments, like universities, government buildings and the Theatre of the Opera and Ballet. The Ala-Archa National Park is just 40 km away from Bishkek; it is an alpine park with gorges and rivers. Ala-Arch Park also includes a very small population of rare and endangered snow leopards. Another place is a Sarychat-Ertash State Nature Reserve, located in the Issyk-Kul province and working under the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Snow leopard is a national animal of Kyrgyzstan, but recently cases of illegal hunting by local and foreign poachers on snow leopards and other rare animals, such as Marco Polo sheep that is known for its long and spiraling horns, became more frequent, thus putting at risk beautiful fauna of Kyrgyzstan.

For a full mindmap behind this article with articles, videos, and documents see #kyrgyzstan

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Photo Credit: Snow Leopard Trust

In the South, Osh, the second biggest city and also referred to as the southern capital, gives the visitor a more traditional feeling, with its ancient mosques. Sulayman Mountain, the only UNESCO World Heritage site in the country, watches over the city.

More and more people discover Kyrgyzstan every year, more and more agencies around the world organize trips into the heart of Central Asia. During recent Expo-2015 that was held in Milan, Kyrgyzstan was successfully presented in the Fruits and Legumes Cluster showing it’s agricultural production, national dishes and traditional goods.

Video created by: Antares Creative Group and Chamber of Commerce of Kyrgyzstan, especially for Milan Expo-2015

Tourism in Kyrgyzstan continues to develop and the country is ready to welcome international friends from all over the world.

Recommended reading: “PUTIN PEAK AND SOVIET STYLE: KYRGYZSTAN, THE NEW CLIMBING HOTSPOT” 

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Special thanks to the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in India for partially providing info and pictures in this article.

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About the Author /

Alima Arbudu is from Kyrgyzstan. For several years lived in UAE and India. Spent her last 9 years in Beijing, China. Holds Master degree in International Relations from Tsinghua University with the focus on Chinese Politics. Holds LL.B. in Chinese Law. Has concerns for human rights, religious prejudice and environment protection. Enjoys meeting people from diverse cultural backgrounds and dreams of travelling the whole world. Has passion for learning languages and international cuisine. Find more from Alima on www.thingser.com

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The food industry is coming under increasing scrutiny for its environmental impact, from greenhouse gas emissions, to excessive and detrimental land and water usage, to chemical pollution. Given the challenge of feeding a growing world population whilst simultaneously needing to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts, clearly we need to look at alternatives to “dinner as usual”. The contribution of livestock to global greenhouse emissions is estimated at between 14.5 – 18%. Fortunately, there are companies who are tackling this challenge head on and looking at how emissions from food production can be reduced. With consumer interest increasing in alternatives to meat and other protein sources, we’ve spoken to the founders of three companies. From the seemingly futuristic to the rediscovery of superfood trees, each company tackles this new drive in consumer interest in different ways.

Solar Foods, Finland

Dr Pasi Vainnika is the CEO and co-founder of Solar Foods. The slogan of the company is “Food out of thin air”. Pasi was formerly in charge of the single largest renewable energy program in Finland. However, when he found out that 20-25% of the emissions come from food, he realized that emissions from this sector needed to be addressed, as well as those in the energy sector. But with the growth in affordable and renewable energy – particularly solar energy– it led him and his team to question the possibility of producing food solely from energy, carbon dioxide, and water. It turns out, the answer is yes. Solein is a unique single cell protein. It is produced using a fully natural fermentation process like that of the production of yeast or lactic acid bacteria. The powder, which is produced from the process, is 50% protein, 5-10% fat and 20-25% carbohydrate. Most likely, the first product to reach the consumer market will be a replacement in existing plant-based foods. For example, using Solein in shakes or as an alternative to dairy in milks, yogurts, and even in breads and pasta. In the future, a lasagna could include the protein in all aspects of the recipe: the sauce, in the pasta sheets, and in the filling. Further into the future, there is also the possibility that it could be used as the basis for cultured meat production.
In the Photo: Solein Can be used in smoothies as a protein alternative. Photo Credit: Shawn Fields - Unsplash
To produce a kilo of the protein powder takes 10 liters of water in comparison to the 2500 liters of water for a kilo of soy or 15,500 liters for a kilo of beef. Electricity is the main raw material, and the plan is to source this from renewable energy sources. Additionally, Solein binds carbon dioxide rather than emitting it, easing pressure on land use. The product is currently going through regulatory checks and testing at the moment, with a plan to launch in 2021. NASA and the Soviet Union space programs had started to investigate in similar protein production for their expeditions in the past, but Solar Foods has brought it down to earth.

Higher Steaks, United Kingdom

Whilst some people are switching to plant-based diets and others have reduced their meat consumption, some others still want to keep meat in their diets but are looking for more environmentally friendly options. This is where lab-based meat comes in. Benjamina Bollag, CEO and co-founder of Higher Steaks, a UK-based company, believes that it is important to provide alternatives to meat with a lower carbon footprint, but that taste as close as possible to the real thing. She believes that the change required in human behavior to cut emissions will not happen fast enough otherwise. This approach is confirmed by research they have conducted. 52% of respondents confirmed that they would switch from conventional meat to the Higher Steaks alternative, with 21% saying they would prefer a plant-based diet. There are different ways of producing lab-based meat. The process that Higher Steaks is developing is based on pluripotent stem cells, which are taken from a small skin patch or blood sample. The meat that is grown is then shaped into products. Currently, Higher Steaks is working primarily on pork products.
In Photo: Higher Steaks will eventually release pork as its first lab-cultured meat. Photo Credit: Yvonne Lee Harijanto - Unsplash
The company has yet to conduct a lifecycle assessment of the lab-grown meat, but given the high levels of environmental impact from meat production, it should be safe to say that Higher Steaks products will be more sustainable. In addition, as Benjamina explains, other advantages include the avoidance of antibiotic use, resulting in a product which is better for the consumer as well. The level of fat can also be adjusted, depending on consumer preference. The company is working to have the first products in shops within 3-5 years.

Barukas, Brazil

Barukas proves that you don’t always to have to look to the future for more sustainable food sources. Sometimes it is about rediscovering and making available a food source which has been around for a long time to a wider audience. The baruzeiro tree, native to Brazil, has been a long-time source of nutrition for people living in the Cerrado, the vast savannah at the heart of Brazil. The tree produces a fruit, which contains the baru nut. It was the nutritional profile of the baru nut that initially attracted Seth Tuckerman, who had formerly been the COO of Beachbody, a fitness business. The nuts are high in protein, fiber, minerals, and are lower in fat than typical nuts. The taste is often described as a cross between peanuts and almonds. In fact, Tuckerman’s immediate thought on tasting them was “low calorie almonds”. Tuckerman’s passion is not only about the positive health benefits, but also about the trees and the mutual benefits for the communities where they grew.
In Photo: Baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas
Tuckerman became a co-founder of Barukas Incorporated. They are on a mission to plant 20 million baruzeiro trees – as a start. The trees need little water and – as native trees – they are already ideally suited to the Cerrado conditions. First, Barukas must prove that there is a market for the fruit of the existing trees. As such, the company is encouraging those living in the Cerrado to collect the nuts by guaranteeing to buy them, then creating customer demand for the nuts. Collecting the fruit from existing trees helps to preserve them from being cleared for intensive and invasive agricultural methods such as soy plantations. Likewise, planting new trees helps to reverse the deforestation of Cerrado. A report by the Climate Observatory estimated that the destruction of surface vegetation in the Cerrado released 248 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2016. This is roughly two-and-half times the annual tailpipe emissions from all cars in Brazil.
In Photo: Closer look at the baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas.
From talking with these three pioneers, it is now clearer than ever that we need multiple solutions to address how to sustainably feed a growing population. We need to cut the carbon emissions and reduce other environmental impacts such as water and land use associated with food production. Some of these solutions are a little way off in the future, but others are available now. We are what we eat, but our choices will increasingly determine what kind of future we will live in as well.   EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com.
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