Digital technologies for indigenous livestock breeding

The traditional cultures of the world's indigenous peoples are one of the still living sources of the natural and wise organization of human life in nature and society. They also contain much that could help modern humanity to properly comprehend and effectively address today's global challenges.

Indigenous livestock breeding (ILB), as an essential part of the culture and way of life of the nomadic peoples of the Pamirs, Tien Shan and Sayan-Altai, is a vivid example of this and has great potential to help modern society. First, ILB is able to put into practice such a motto as "dignity and prosperity" (providing oneself materially while not betraying ethical norms of life. Secondly, ILB is an excellent model of ensuring the security of society in three important dimensions: spiritual, ecological and material.

That is why the revival of ILB is strategically important today!  And not only for the given region, but also for the whole world.

However, there are a number of priorities for the revival of ILB today that would make it an important tool for solving global problems: (1) revival of basic and obvious functions of ILB, (2) unfolding the functions of ILB that are not so obvious and that require deeper study by conventional science or traditional knowledge systems, (3) extensively re-introducing ILB into daily life and striving for climate-optimized communities.

The first of the above three tasks is a priority today. Despite the fact that many nations are gradually reviving natural forms of agriculture, it is still very difficult to call these efforts sustainable. This is due primarily to the fact that the revival of ILB occurs at the level of local communities through the application of their modest resources or the resources of non-profit projects, which only launch pilot initiatives, but cannot ensure sustainability.

Achieving sustainability, conceptual and practical deepening and scaling of ILB requires more stable and long-term funding. There are three options for reaching this: (1) transferring some of its activities into an independent business format, (2) launching external impact investing, or (3) acquiring long-term (strategic) non-profit funding. Mastering blockchain (NFT, DAO) and AI technologies could be a breakthrough solution to this problem and enable the implementation of all three options listed above.

The project on the revival of ILB (using the case of the Indigenous Kyrgyz Horse) implemented by the Golden Hoof Collaborative since 2018 in Kyrgyzstan is one of globally important initiatives and needs more stable funding. Our project is also conducting serious research into several important fields. All this requires years of observation and certain material resources. Therefore transferring of some part of our project into a social enterprise called Tai-Toru Group is an objectively demanded step. Launching business activities using blockchain and AI technologies seemed the right thing for us because such activities (1) do not require selling horses from our pilot population and (2) have several unique advantages and can take both the project and the use of modern technology to a whole new level.

Mission of the Project (Solution)

To revive, re-introduce and scale up the application of globally important and nearly lost traditional technologies of nomadic pastoralism and biocultural diversity [embedded in the traditional culture and landscapes of the indigenous peoples of the Pamirs, Tien Shan and Sayan-Altai] with the supported of modern advanced technologies.

Goal of the Project

To create and test a hybrid financial system (model) based on blockchain technology (HFM-BT) for the sphere of indigenous livestock breeding using the case of the Indigenous Kyrgyz Horse (IKH).

The term "hybrid" is applied as the main or priority level of operation is "phygital level" – physical products and services [created based on the activities of real farms and horse breeders, artisans, artists and other custodians of traditional culture in living natural landscapes] tied to digital products and services created using blockchain and AI technologies.

Objectives of the Project

• Create and test in three stages (Scheme 1) the basic operating system of HFM-BT
• Conduct a full analysis of the results of the case study and conceptualize the lessons learned (from 2025)
• Develop practical recommendations for the application and scaling up of the project experience to support similar areas of activity (with a focus on the positive application of modern technologies to support the revival of traditional technologies of human life) (from 2027) The time frame indicated is approximate

• Create a horizontal company- collaboration based on live contracts; develop and promote digital and phygital products and services [related to IKH breeding] using NFT and AI technologies (2024-2025), Scheme 2.
• Transfer the horizontal company- collaboration to smart contracts using DAO technologies; improve NFT-based digital and phygital products and services; incorporate AI into marketing strategies (2026-2027), Scheme 2.
• Create eco-investment platform for attraction and accompaniment of direct investments for indigenous community-based businesses with global impact; develop consulting package according to the mandate of the platform and knowledge co-creation programs (2028-2029), Scheme 2.

Strategic Beneficiaries:

(1) A broad audience of interested theorists and practitioners interested in the future of digital technology, concerned about the potential threats of digitalization, and seeking positive perspectives on modern inventions.

(2) Nomadic pastoralists and other custodians of traditional culture (СТС) of indigenous peoples (IPs) of the Pamirs, Tien Shan, and Sayan-Altai who are working to revitalize, conceptualize, and apply traditional eco-consciousness and natural resource management technologies for the well-being of IPs and for addressing global challenges (6 peoples)

(3) Nomadic pastoralists and other СТС of specific local mountain communities in Kyrgyzstan aspiring to combine traditional culture-knowledge and modern climate-optimized technologies in their communities since 2015 (9 villages in 2 provinces of Kyrgyzstan)

(4) Nomadic pastoralists and other СТС of local communities (from the 9 villages above) where two pilot pastoral laboratories (horse farms) of the Golden Hoof Collaborative (GHC) are located (2 villages, 1345 families of pastoralists)

Expected impact of the project for the strategic beneficiaries:

Obtaining a new tested model for addressing the problem of financing indigenous livestock breeding (ILB) and integrating ILB with other facets and areas of the revival of traditional culture; an opportunity for deeper discourse on the positive possibilities of digital technologies in addressing global issues and creating hybrid "phygital" realities that can block out a number of potentially destructive aspects of the digital world.

Tactical Beneficiaries:

(1) Golden Hoof Collaborative's pilot horse farms (pasture labs) located in two mountain local communities (of the 9 communities above) and an experimental population of Indigenous Kyrgyz Horse (IKH) being revived since 2018 (5 hereditary pastoralist families, 68 horses, 2 three-tiered high mountain pasture stations at 2000-4000 m above sea level)

(2) Golden Hoof Collaborative’s team (and the Tai-Toru Group team within it), which is focused on research and practical revival of IKH (1 manager; 2 field coordinators; 3 research teams with specialization in ecology, genetics and traditional knowledge; 1 accountant, 1 documentary team, 1 IT and digital marketing specialist, 15 people in total)

Expected impact of the project for the tactical beneficiaries:

Obtaining real technological, conceptual and educational, and financial support in creating a new model for solving the problem of financing ILB and integrating ILB with other facets and areas of the revival of traditional culture; creating a sustainable company-collaboration, able to subsequently work on the principles of DAO.

Additional Beneficiaries:

(1) Representatives of traditional arts or professionals supporting traditional culture (artisans, artists, musicians, storytellers, photographers, etc.) who can create art (digital and physical) products within the concept and theme of ILB and IKH.

(2) Representatives of traditional educational environments or professionals supporting traditional knowledge systems (coaches, traditional eco-consciousness holders, researchers, etc.) who can create educational (digital and physical) products within the concept and theme of ILB and IKH.

Expected impact of the project for additional beneficiaries:

Gaining real income and access to new markets for sales and audiences to popularize their creativity; the opportunity to join the above mentioned company-collaboration; creating their own collaborations with the application of blockchain technology.

Tai-Toru-Group (TTG) is a team of selected specialists with diverse background from the partner-organizations of Golden Hoof Collaborative (GHC) and broader professional environments. GHC is a free cooperation of several organizations and individual experts representing 7 indigenous peoples inhabiting three linked Eurasian mountain systems called Pamir, Tien-Shan and Sayan-Altai (PTS region). This collaborative was established in 2017 and, its project on revival of indigenous livestock breeding was financially supported by several international pool funds specialized in promotion of agroecology. The official lead organization of GHC is Peace Building Center (NGO from Kyrgyzstan).

The mission of the project and GHC is promoting food, environmental and spiritual-cultural security of indigenous peoples of the PTS region through indigenous livestock breeding in the conditions of global crisis. For more information on the concept of three dimensions of security, please refer to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq6uFfiZmAU (Presentation for SAFSF 2020). The goal of the project is the revival of key indigenous livestock breeds of PTS region (as exemplary cases) and re-activation of nomadic pastoralism in PTS region. The objectives of the project include: (1) the revival of the main gene pool of indigenous livestock breeds and traditional agroecological technologies; (2) consolidation of indigenous leaders of the PTS region around the issues of food sovereignty, environmental and spiritual-cultural security in the context of modern crisis (3) consolidation of  scientists and custodians of traditional knowledge for collaborative research and development of a solid evidence base on the efficiency of agroecological technologies embedded in the nomadic culture. For more information about the Kyrgyz horse, please refer to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaHJps_qJzI (Movie The Flying Horse developed by GHC team in collaboration with the Aga Khan Foundation)

The proposed solution involves working on three levels - digital, physical, and phygital. In our opinion, the TTG team has the resources and experience to work on all these levels.

Physical level (regeneration and breeding of real native horses in natural landscapes and creation of physical products and services in real communities): there are 2 real horse farms; 68 horses; 2 teams of hereditary horse breeders; 3 teams of researchers in ecology, genetics and traditional knowledge; 2 managers experienced in international collaborative projects; 1 documentary team https://youtu.be/FaBByoTss2s

Digital level (creation and marketing of NFT collections): there is a team of young creative people who could create high quality NFT collections and present them in social networks and internet sites; 1 marketing and branding specialist with experience in digital business; 1 long-term partner as B'Art Contemporary http://www.bishkekart.kg/ which has great experience in the field of art.

Phygital level

(creation of products and services (events) tied to NFT collections and physical activities in the target communities): all GHC partners have capacity and experience in conducting cultural, educational and tourist events for groups of 10-50 people as well as experience in conceptualizing nomadic culture (e.g. experience in conducting permanent forum of indigenous peoples of PTS region, youth camps and other events )

90% of the TTG team members are representatives of targeted local communities and are custodians of traditional Kyrgyz culture.

We are building our products from already available resources and raw ingredients; all the vital collaborations are already there; physical dimension of our project is already existing. 

We are at the prototype stage, so it is the solution itself that does not yet serve anyone. The very activity of the project (physical level) on the revival of the indigenous Kyrgyz horse now serves the needs of 56 212 he of pasture lands and 1 345 nomadic pastoralist families from two mountain communities in two provinces of Kyrgyzstan.

(1)  Technological support: any support which can help with better application of blockchain and AI technologies to our field of activities (especially to phygital dimension and DAO) and representation of TTG in digital internet dimension.  

(2)  Research support: any support which can advance the integral research map and the research itself in the 4 sectors of AQAL (if MIT Solve has specialists who are interested and work in this direction). We believe that AQAL's integral approach in research and revitalization of aboriginal animal husbandry is also a kind of modern technology, which will eventually influence the further development of the proposed solution too.

(3)  Financial support: any support which can help us with (a) covering some basic costs for development of the operational system of the financial model (including costs of DAO contract development, purchase of cryptocurrency for starting NFT component, etc.); (b) financial consulting for TTG on generation of revenue without loss of social value of our activities

(4)  Educational-conceptual support: any support which can help us with development of more profound understanding of such fields as (a) blockchain technologies in crowdfunding and decentralized organizations; (b) neuro network technologies; (c) social enterprise business models; (c) impact investment and other relevant fields.

(5)  Networking and cooperation support: any support which can help us to connect with interesting people and organizations, whose experience and activities can be valuable to our initiative.

Focusing on the creation of a social enterprise and business activities that are based on the use of blockchain technology and AI seemed right and a priority to us for two reasons.

First, such activities do not require the sale of horses from the project population. Expanding the population of native animals is an important part of a gene pool revitalization project; every horse is very valuable. Therefore, the usual and easiest lines of business (like selling horses for farming, food production, sports and other needs) are not acceptable to us. We can only sell single male horses for which we could not provide the necessary number of female horses to create a herd for reproduction. Secondly, the use of blockchain technology and AI in a given area has a number of additional and unique advantages that take both the project and the use of modern technology to a whole new level:

(1) All and various stakeholders and fields relevant to Kyrgyz horse breeding can be integrated into one hub or system. In essence, such projects can link an extremely concrete physical level of activity (like breeding horses in natural landscapes) and an extremely virtual level of activity (like digital art), while sewing deep meanings into the scheme (like principles of nomadic life and harmony with natural landscapes).

(2) Organization of processes within the company and collaboration(s) can be optimized and automated. The principles of DAO based on smart contracts is a very effective way to solve the complex of organizational issues associated with the administration of projects, in both business and non-profit format. Firstly, it is absolute horizontality, simplicity and honesty of interrelations, as well as management of these relationships. Secondly, it is the transparency of all transactions.

(3) New forms of money, new forms of funding (incl. crowdfunding), and financial mobility can be accessed. These technologies make it possible to master new forms of funding from the category of "crowdfunding", and also make it possible to be very mobile and accessible internationally to a large interested audience.

(4) Development of digital low-cost products can be eased substantially by AI

(5) New opportunities for individuals to participate in global processes, take personal responsibility in solving global issues, and express certain moral values and positions are open. These technologies allow everyone to become a consumer, a businessman, a philanthropist and a public figure in one person. All of this allows the individual to be a decision maker and an agent of certain values, a participant in the process of global change.

But the basic breakthrough aspect of this project is that it will launch a more serious conversation about how to make digitalization serve real human needs rather than become another dangerous breakthrough like the nuclear technologies. In the context of the polemics about AI and digital slavery, perhaps our project can provide solutions for how to keep the digital world connected to reality, the earth. After all, the digital world is only a platform for people from the real world to communicate, not a substitute for the real world.

Impact Goal 1: Establish a sustainable company-collaboration based on two horse breeding farms in two climate-optimized communities in Kyrgyzstan that will give an opportunity for generation of revenue (Scheme 2).

Sub-impact 1.1. Digital technologies are applied to the creation and marketing of products and services of the physical company-collaboration.

Sub-impact 1.2. Digital technologies are applied to attracting investment as well as organizing processes within the physical company-collaboration.

Sub-impact 1.3. Digital technologies are applied to create an eco-investment platform for attracting and accompanying direct investments for indigenous community-based businesses.

Impact Goal 2. Obtain a ready tested financial model for indigenous livestock breeding (ILB) and other similar activities of the indigenous peoples.

Impact Goal 3: Launch a deeper discourse on the positive possibilities of modern technology in solving global problems and supporting indigenous peoples in revitalizing and applying their traditional knowledge and technology.

Impact Goal 1 is the priority at this point. The details and perspective of the other two impact goals will depend on reaching Impact Goal 1. That is why we give more details about this impact goal below.

 Plan for Impact Goal 1:

•  Creating a horizontal company-collaboration based on physical contracts; developing and promoting digital and phygital products and services related to ILB with the help of NFT and AI technologies (2024-2025)
• Transferring the company-collaboration to smart contracts (implementation of DAO principles); improving NFT-based digital and phygital products and services; incorporating AI into marketing strategies (2026-2027)
• Creation of eco-investment platform to attract and accompany direct investments for global impact business (2028-2029)

Progress Indicators for sub-impact 1.1.

(1) A physical company-collaboration is created

(2) Digital products are created: 4 NFT collections (photo, audio-video, and art) with and without use of AI

(3) Phygital products are created: 4 hybrid products (Scheme 2)

 Progress Indicators for sub-impact 1.2. 

 (1) The company-collaboration is transferred to smart contracts

(2) Didital products are expanded: + 1 collection of NFTs (handicraft products) with and without use of AI

(3) Phygital products are expanded: +3 hybrid products (Scheme 2)

 Progress Indicators for sub-impact 1.3. 

 (1) Web site for eco-investment platform is created

(2) Digital products are expanded: + 1 collection of NFT (animation) with and without AI

(3) Phygital products are expanded: +3 hybrid products (Scheme 2)

We are convinced that all of today's problems stem from the moral degradation of humanity. If we could bring basic ethical principles back into our daily lives, we could live more harmonious lives in harmony with ourselves, society, and nature.

And if we could incorporate nomadic living principles as principles for the management of organizations or companies in Kyrgyzstan, they would undoubtedly affect positively the nature, character an the outcome of their activities.

Below are the basic principles of the nomad:

• The nomad is not madly attached to material goods. The principle of material detachment would help to create higher levels of motivation for any activities, including business life. For example, at the heart of the Shoro Company in Kyrgyzstan was the desire of the founder to create healthy traditional drinks and oust alien unhealthy food from the market.
• The nomad values moderation in consumption and in everything. The principle of moderation could help create strategies for resource conservation and modesty. The old story of Kozhozhash, known among the Kyrgyz, is instructive - the hunter shot too many goats during the hunting campaign and accidentally shot his son. Took the superfluous from nature and lost the most precious. Kyrgyz companies should take a course not on the prestige of the office and providing opportunities for their employees to overconsume, but on contentment with little and modesty, as well as saving and increasing natural resources.
• The nomad is internally stable and harmonious. The principle of inner harmony and spiritual health is very relevant today. Only morally healthy people can have a healthy business. Today, spiritual practices that strengthen stress resistance and maintaining humanity even in conditions of fierce competition are very important. For example, a company that constantly works with the personal growth of its employees (for example, based on traditional culture) will achieve greater success than those companies that do not pay attention to the nobility of their members.
• The nomad is an individualist, but at the same time, considers the common good. The principle of independence, combined with a strong collective consciousness, is also important for modern society. We believe that only the community survives. The individual cannot live on his own. Therefore, the introduction of collective consciousness in decision-making, in the performance and distribution of work, etc. in business is very important, as it blocks selfishness, greed, arrogance and other negative manifestations of human nature. For example, everyone in the company should feel like part of a family that supports us without drowning out our individuality.
• The nomad has no fears, he is courageous, accepts reality as it is. The principle of fearlessness and humility is important for business psychology. The nomad has always lived in extreme circumstances, so he is not afraid of uncomfortable situations. The conditions of Kyrgyzstan are the predominance of extreme situations. Therefore, our managers, employees and business and people in general must be ready for anything. Warrior spirit is important in business and everyday life. 

We strongly believe that it is very important for humanity to stay connected to the earth, nature, and its cultural roots. But it is also important to apply the advances of modern science to make life easier for people and to unlock their potential. Based on this simple philosophy, we strive in our work on the revival of the indigenous livestock breeding (ILB) to combine the achievements of conventional science and traditional knowledge systems in a harmonious way. In particular, we are currently working with two forms of combining these two knowledge systems:

• Our strategy for research and practical revival of the Indigenous Kyrgyz Horse (IKH) is built on a combination of the AQAL format (source: integral theory of Ken Wilber on four sectors of existence) and our own conception of the spiritual and cultural core of indigenous peoples (source: the traditional Kyrgyz worldview of the four levels of being). We have now developed an integral map for research and practical revival of IKH and have launched 4 baseline studies in the areas as horse genetics; culture and traditional knowledge of the horse; ecological impact of the horse; and hippotherapy. The practical revival of IKH is also guided by the 4 sectors - mental, biophysical, cultural and social.
• The strategy for transforming part of our social project on the revival of IKH into a business format is built on combining digital technologies (blockchain and AI) with the work of real or physical horse farms and custodians of traditional culture, knowledge and skills in the context of local natural landscapes and local communities. It is for this form of combination of modern science and traditional culture-based knowledge systems that we seek support from MIT Solve.

Blockchain technology and additionally AI are called upon in our project to support the revival and re-introduction of traditional technologies through the creation of new financial systems (models).

TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES

Our team has been studying and revitalizing ILB (using the example of IKH breeding) and associated other traditional technologies for many years. In our opinion, the most interesting and important traditional technologies are the following:

(1) Technologies for encoding and transmitting eco-consciousness through the image of the horse, knowledge and traditions about the horse; for maintaining mental health through contact with the horse. These technologies are important for preserving, encoding and transmitting certain levels of consciousness as faith, morality and eco-consciousness to younger generations. In essence, we are talking here about the dimension of the spiritual-mental well-being of the people (including first of all spiritual-cultural identity).

(2) Technologies of ILB or nomadic pastoralism, maintaining the physical health of human being through contact with IKH. These technologies are important for the conservation, regeneration and ecological use of natural resources within indigenous territories; maintaining the health of the people. In essence, it is a dimension of the biophysical-environmental well-being of the people, encompassing nature, territories and biophysical health.

(3) Technologies of traditional production of products and services associated with the horse and based on the authentic culture of nomadic communities. These technologies contribute to the preservation, operation and strengthening of traditional systems of material self-sufficiency and economic activity. They are the embodiment of a dimension of the material well-being of the people, including food sovereignty and economic independence.

Today's global challenges show that ILB technologies have a number of undeniable advantages. These advantages make them unique and very much in demand today:

(1) Locality of production. Native breeds have been adapted to local ecosystems for hundreds or thousands of years and cannot be replaced by new breeds - this is a basic advantage. One family can handle a large herd of cattle because native cattle breeds are adaptable and require little care. Herders are fairly independent of the outside environment.

(2) Environmentally friendly production and products. Pasture-based agricultural technologies are based solely on different types of rotation and deep traditional knowledge of veterinary, genetic selection, meteorology, landscapes, etc. As a consequence, the products are environmentally friendly because they are created without artificial feed, drugs and other elements of chemistry, and nature is not affected by anthropogenic pressures. Moreover, ILB contributes to the development and use of highland pastures with difficult access, which make up 43% of the total area of pastures in Kyrgyzstan. The special biophysical characteristics of IKH give it the opportunity to feel perfectly well in the conditions of high mountains (2000-5000 meters above sea level) and to serve as a convenient agricultural breed and as a means of transport logistics.

(3) Cost-effective production and products. IKH is the source of a number unique products, most of which are food products with high medicinal properties (including immunomodulatory properties important for the post-COVID situation).

MODERN TECHNOLOGIES.

We would like to test digital technologies (in particular, blockchain technologies) to support traditional technologies. The main target technologies involved in the proposed solution are the following technologies:

(1) Non-Fungible Token (NFT). Today, this technology is very actively used to create cryptocurrencies and digital environments; to confirm the identity and uniqueness of some physical objects. NFT is particularly widespread among artists, and in the last couple of years has created a stir around digital art. In our project we would like to use this technology as a crowdfunding tool to fund the activities of local cultural communities (digital level) and a way to sell offline products and services developed based on the activities of two horse farms (phygital level). We would also like to try to use this technology to popularize nomadic living principles, which are very important for real life in real communities (physical level)

(2) Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO). Today it is very actively used to create horizontal communities based on smart contracts and serves businesses based on cryptocurrency. In our project we would like to use this technology to optimize offline physical business with real work and influence; facilitate administration and simplify relationships between partners in real activities and in the real world. We would also like to try to use this technology to popularize the idea of the digital nomad - the essence of which is to facilitate everything that can be facilitated through digital technology and can contribute to the formation of greater human freedom and mobility.

(3) Artificial Intellect (AI). Neural networks like MidJourney and DALLE are now actively used for generative art by a huge number of users. In our project we would like to use this technology as a complement to the previous two technologies and to facilitate the creation of digital products in combination with the work of real artists, photographers, musicians and other creative parties involved. The digital content can consist of AI-generated material only partially and be edited and completed by humans and integrated into the overall Tai-Toru Group brand.

In the context of our ILB activities, the use of NFT and DAO technologies has a number of interesting and useful advantages:

1) Holistic (integral) schemes of involving all areas and stakeholders important to the project idea into a single hub. In fact, such projects can link a specific physical level of activity (like breeding horses in natural landscapes) and an extremely virtual level of activity (like digital art), while sewing deep meanings into the scheme (like principles of nomadic life and harmony with natural landscapes).

2) New and more effective forms of self-organization for specific social and business tasks. Smart contracts are a very effective way to solve the set of organizational, administrative and financial issues associated with the operation of social and business enterprises.

3) New financing schemes and new forms of money. These technologies allow new forms of funding from the category of "crowdfunding" to be mastered, and also provide the opportunity to be very mobile and accessible internationally to a large interested audience.

4) New opportunities for everyone to take personal responsibility in solving global problems. These technologies allow the person concerned to become a consumer, a businessman, a philanthropist and a public figure in one person; to become a participant in global processes.

Tai-Toru-Group (TTG) is a team of selected specialists with diverse background from the partner-organizations of Golden Hoof Collaborative (GHC) and broader professional environments. The official lead organization of GHC is Peace Building Center (NGO from Kyrgyzstan, officially responsible for programmatic, administrative and financial management of the joint project of the collaborative).

However, before the official registration of TTG as a company takes place, PBC (as an officially registered non-profit organization) can be considered as the owner and implementer of the proposed solution. We expect that in near future TTG becomes as a social enterprise (business component) of the GHC. 

Diversity

The Tai-Toru-Group consists of representatives of 9 nationalities. The target area of our aboriginal livestock revitalization activities includes 6 indigenous peoples of Pamir, Tien-Shan and Sayan-Altai bicultural region. 50% of the team members are male and 50% are female.

Equity

Tai-Toru-Group tries to follow the principles of horizontal organization. 50% of the team members have had the opportunity to receive training in integral development and spiral dynamics, which gives them an understanding and some skills for working in horizontal management systems.

Inclusion

Tai-Toru-Group's dream is to someday launch its program of supporting young people from orphanages and socially vulnerable families by involving them in social and business activities to revive the Indigenous Kyrgyz horse.

We would like to create a social enterprise integrated with the non-profit organization. Integrated business model would be most suitable for us as it allows business activities to overlap with our social agenda and to serve as a funding mechanism and a tool for mission expansion.  

The project on the revive of indigenous livestock breeding was launched in 2018 with the financial support of international organizations working to support agroecology. To this day, the project is on non-commercial funding. However, in the future we would like to transfer part of this activity into a business format:

•  Starting in the fall of 2023, the commercial component of the project will begin based on the sale of male horses, which we will not be able to provide the necessary herd of females. These funds will be reinvested into pilot farms and increasing the IKH population.
• We are also waiting for the results of grantmaking process of several pool funds (for another 2 years)
• We are also negotiating with several impact investors on the prospects of financing such business areas as hippotherapy and eco-tourism

The solution we propose, in fact, grew out of the project which for several years has been supported by several international pool funds for agroecology and private sponsors from Kyrgyzstan itself. The total amount of this support since 2018 is 550,000 USD. With this support, a population of (1) 68 Kyrgyz aboriginal horses on two working farms in Kyrgyzstan; (2) a population of 700 Buryatian aboriginal cows and 1 pasture laboratory-farm in Buryatia (Russia); (3) an integral map of research and practical revival ILB and 3 research teams were established.