Human resources for forestry in Kazakhstan: Current status, potential and problems

Autorzy

• Vitaliy Kirillov A.N. Bukeikhan Kazakh Research Institute of Forestry and Agroforestry, 58, Kirov str., Shchuchinsk, 021704 Kazakhstan,
  phone: +7 7163641563, +7 7015815755, e-mail: vitaliy.kirillov.82@mail.ru
• Ashutosh Pathak The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, Vadodara- 390002, Gujarat, India
• Svetlana Kabanova A.N. Bukeikhan Kazakh Research Institute of Forestry and Agroforestry, 58, Kirov str., Shchuchinsk, 021704 Kazakhstan
• Tamara Stikhareva A.N. Bukeikhan Kazakh Research Institute of Forestry and Agroforestry, 58, Kirov str., Shchuchinsk, 021704 Kazakhstan
• Sergey Turumbayev A.N. Bukeikhan Kazakh Research Institute of Forestry and Agroforestry, 58, Kirov str., Shchuchinsk, 021704 Kazakhstan
• Dinara Savazova United Nations Development Programme in Kazakhstan, 14, Mambetov str., Astana, 010000 Kazakhstan
• Talgat Kerteshev United Nations Development Programme in Kazakhstan, 14, Mambetov str., Astana, 010000 Kazakhstan
• Alimzhan Rakhimzhanov A.N. Bukeikhan Kazakh Research Institute of Forestry and Agroforestry, 58, Kirov str., Shchuchinsk, 021704 Kazakhstan

Abstract

The aim of this research is to assess the current status, potential and problems of human resources for forestry in municipal state forest management institutions (MSFMIs) of Kazakhstan. A total of 120 MSFMIs are functional in Kazakhstan, with almost 5.5 thousand employees, of which 6.1% are women. Overall 63% are foresters, 13% are masters of the wood, 13% are engineers of forestry of all categories, 7% are forest wardens and 4% are directors.
The quality of education of forest workers also varies and a minority of forest workers has a higher education. The scenario also suggested that almost 3000 specialists had taken up the advanced training courses from 2003 to 2019. According to a survey of employees of the MSFMIs of two pilot oblasts (Almaty and East Kazakhstan), the average age of an employee is 44.7 years and 79.2% of employees have a work experience of up to 15 years. The main issues and difficulties observed in the work of MSFMIs staff were low wages, lack of modern technique and equipment for forest service, lack of systematic continuing education of employees, poor quality of education, as well as staff turnover, especially foresters, which consequently affects their professional level.

Keywords

• municipal state forest management institution
• human resources potential
• education quality
• continuing education
• problems in work
• forestry