meet phytosanitary and food safety standards, which are especially crucial for meat and dairy products. National governments, together with development partners, such as the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank, are working to address these obstacles. For example, Tajikistan is working with USAID’s Feed the Future initiative to boost horticulture and livestock produc- tion and agricultural diversity, thereby improving food and nutrition security. Tese programs plan to accomplish the later goal by boosting household income and increasing dietary diversity in house- holds in Tajikistan’s poorest southern districts. Similar efforts are also under way in Uzbekistan,
where the government is also promoting a move- ment toward horticulture. In June, the government sponsored a conference of high-level policymakers from Uzbekistan and numerous experts from abroad that specifically sought to find ways to increase hor- ticultural production in the country. Te meeting also produced policy recommendations aimed at enhancing research and technology sharing, improv- ing seed breeding and production, and encourag- ing investment throughout the agricultural sector. Shortly thereaſter, the Uzbek government completed a US$150 million loan agreement with the World Bank for a horticulture development program.
2015 AND BEYOND
In 2015, Central Asia’s food systems will likely remain vulnerable to external risks. Te risks in this regard stem from economic developments in major trading partners, particularly Russia, and trends in global energy and commodity markets, such as gold, aluminum, coton, and cereals. Uncertainties in the Russian economy as a result of international sanc- tions, low oil prices, and the country’s overall weak
performance will most likely have associated effects in the form of lower remitances, affecting macro- and household-level food insecurity in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and, to a lesser extent, Uzbekistan. At the same time, these countries can take advantage of the Russian ban against agricultural imports from European countries by increasing their exports of fruits and vegetables to Russia. Policymakers will have to take food price inflation into consideration while managing economic growth and employ- ment opportunities. Regional governments appear to be taking action
to buffer their economies from looming problems. In November, Kazakhstan’s president, directly citing geopolitical events affecting the region, announced a three-year $9-billion infrastructure development program financed by the country’s national reserve fund. In addition, national governments in the region are atracting Chinese investments to develop their infrastructure and counterbalance external risks associated with both the anticipated slowdown in Russia and the downward trends in global com- modity markets. China, which has secured bilateral strategic partnerships with all five Central Asian countries, offers both risks and rewards. On the other hand, poor cooperation among
the Central Asian countries themselves is a major constraint undercuting food security in the region. In addition to policy and regulatory constraints, regional road infrastructure is weak, with all coun- tries in the region scoring less than three on a scale of seven in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index for 2014–2015.8 Further- more, Kyrgyzstan is scheduled to join the Eurasian Economic Union of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakh- stan in 2015. Tis could further complicate regional dynamics and pose new challenges for food security in the region. ■
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REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
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