Eurasian Food Security Network
Executive Summary of the studies on food security and sustainability, agricultural policy and
institutional environment in Eurasian region
Assessment of the situation in the Kyrgyz Republic
Evaluation of policies in the country shows that food security is a priority for the government. The
important documents have been adopted recently, such as the Law on Food Security and the Food
Security Concept for 2009-2019, as well as a system of monitoring indicators for food security has
been developed.
With the support of a number of international organizations the work has been conducted in the
country with a view to improve the quality of seeds and ensure their supply to farmers, to enhance
soil fertility, pasture management and to adopt the veterinary preventive measures and to provide
the veterinary drugs.
The report gives a brief description of the situation in the field of food security in the Kyrgyz
Republic. Food security is determined by the income of population and the level of food prices. The
growth of food prices in 2010 was the reason for the increased poverty rate after its sustainable
reduction over the number of years.
Some government interventions have not given the desired effect due to the fact that more than 90
per cent of households in the country are small farms with low productivity, which are not able by
themselves to solve the problems with the acquisition of the means of production, obtaining loans
due to lack of property for using it as a pledge, as well as the problems related to the storage and
sale of products. The situation is further aggravated by the country's dependence on imports of a
number of food products and capital goods.
Analysis of the status of the research sector shows that a significant reduction in its funding in
recent years has led to a reduction of human and technical capacities of research institutions.
According to a study conducted by the World Bank in 2009, spending on research and consulting
services accounted for less than 3 per cent of the total expenditure on agriculture and irrigation.
Despite the increase in salaries of employees of the education system in 2011, it remains low, which
does not encourage young people to study science.
Review of the existing problems in the Kyrgyz Republic resulted in a recommendation for the
national institutes to cooperate with the Eurasian Center, given the experience of its experts. The
cooperation could be developed in the removal of barriers to regional trade, strengthening the
capacity of scientific institutions with regard to predicting the development of agriculture and
addressing the land degradation. The Center could also promote the regional cooperation between
the research institutions.
Ms. Umit Ukaeva, the World Bank consultant.
www.fao.org / fsnforum / ecfs
-1-
fsn-moderator@fao.org
Eurasian Food Security Network
Assessment of the situation in the Republic of Tajikistan
The Republic is located in the south-eastern part of Central Asia, its area amounts to 143.1 thousand
km2, and its population - 7529.6 thousand people. Tajikistan is a mountainous country with 93 per
cent of the territory covered by mountains.
The agriculture of Tajikistan plays an important role in the economy of the country. Its state of
development determines the opportunities to improve people's livelihood and food security of the
country. The share of agriculture and forestry products produced by all categories of farms in GDP
in 2010 was 36.5 per cent. The share of the population employed in agriculture amounts to 45 per
cent of the entire workforce employed in the economy. The share of rural population in the total
population is about 70 per cent.
The market transformation of the economy of Tajikistan is accompanied by the increased negative
trends in food production, the reduction of inter-regional exchange and an aggressive expansion of
food imports, lowering the level of food security in the country. Strengthening the competitive
advantages of domestic food complex creates conditions for increasing the food self-sufficiency.
This raises the problem of finding effective methods to control the export flows of food. The food
self-sufficiency in the country will not be possible to achieve without restructuring the agroindustrial complex and establishing a civilized agro-food market.
The problem of lack of quality domestic food supply, which became particularly acute after the
liberalization of prices, especially for food, was quickly resolved by the aggressive food imports
which represented more than half of the food consumed by the population of the Republic, and up
to 60 per cent in the capital. In the course of the reforms in the agrarian sector the situation has
considerably improved, but many institutional changes have remained unfinished. This is due to a
number of social and political constraints, contributing to a significant increase in new imports,
including food: with the GDP growth in 2010 by 6.5 per cent, the exports increased by 18.3 per
cent, while the imports - by 3.4 per cent.
Obviously, the solution to the problem of food security begins at the level of the national economy,
where it manifests itself in the food security of the region's population. Because of this, it is
necessary to implement the principles of a systematic approach to the development of a mechanism
to ensure food security by maintaining the country's self-sufficiency and food security of the
population of its regions. In this context it is especially important to address the issues such as:
weaknesses in the institutional structure and the control system of the agricultural sector; weak
analytical capacity of the agricultural sector specialists; imperfect system of monitoring food
security in the strategic documents; the lack of techniques and methodologies for the analysis and
evaluation of food security; inadequate land relations and poor irrigation system.
Ms. Tanzila Rustamovna Ergasheva, the World Bank consultant, Candidate of Economic Sciences
www.fao.org / fsnforum / ecfs
-2-
fsn-moderator@fao.org
Eurasian Food Security Network
Assessment of the situation in Armenia
Food security is one of the most important components of national security. It represents such a
situation of the state, which provides, mainly due to domestic production (over 80%), for a healthy
and active life and allows people to ensure the physical and economic access to food in such a
quantity and variety that are established in accordance with the normal physiological requirements.
The most important priority of the Agrarian Policy of Armenia is to increase food security by
overcoming external and internal threats. Currently, more than 50 per cent of the necessary food
resources are provided by imports, which in the face of rising food prices on the world market, the
situation in the region and the blockade of transport links make Armenia the most vulnerable. In
addition to external threats, there are also some internal factors (such as mountainous terrain,
climatic conditions, low level of technical capacity, numerous small farms, fragmented land
holdings, etc.) that prevent the efficient use of inputs in agriculture.
It is absolutely imperative for Armenia to increase its self-sufficiency in such vital kinds of food, as
wheat, vegetable oil, sugar, pork and poultry meat. In the general consumption of these products,
the share of imports in the period between 2005 and 2010 on average amounted, respectively, to
36.7, 4.3, 7.7, 46.7 and 16.2 per cent. For the rest of the products included in the food basket, the
self-sufficiency varies from 75 to 100 per cent.
The analysis leads to the conclusion that the issue of physical accessibility of food in Armenia has
been mainly resolved. However, the problem of economic accessibility of food is quite substantial.
While the level of poverty was 36.6per cent and the proportion of extremely poor was 13.1 per cent
in 2002, these rates have decreased and amounted to 27.6 and 1.6 per cent in 2008. Under the
impact of the global financial and economic crisis, the economic situation has worsened, leading to
an increase in poverty and corresponding figures were 35.8 and 3.0 per cent in 2010.
One of the most important parameters of food security is the overall calorie consumption per day
(kkal / per capita/per day). The Ministry of Health of Armenia recommended the rate of
2412kkal/per capita/per day. The average index amounted to 2108kkal, or 87.4 per cent of the
normal level for the period between 2008 and 2010. But for the most vulnerable groups of the
population this figure is less than 1900 calories per day.
This brief analysis shows that the level of food security in Armenia is still low and there are still
many problems. The most preferred way to solve these problems is the intensification of
agricultural production and the full utilization of the production capacity. As international
experience shows, there is no other way to achieve efficient agriculture and address food security,
but to develop agricultural science, to introduce intensive technologies, to train highly skilled
personnel and to promote extension systems. Unfortunately, as in other CIS countries, as well as in
Armenia, some of the agricultural production resources (land, water, labor, etc.) have not been used
for their intended purposes. This problematic situation requires an immediate solution and at the
same time indicates that there are also extensive opportunities to increase the production of certain
types of agricultural products and foodstuffs. The funds devoted to agricultural science and
www.fao.org / fsnforum / ecfs
-3-
fsn-moderator@fao.org
Eurasian Food Security Network
extension systems, as well as the capacity building opportunities have been very limited. On this
basis, it should be noted that the role of the World Bank and the Eurasian Center for Food Security
(Moscow State University Agricultural Center) is very important for food security of the focus
countries. The new possibilities have been open up to study and predict food markets, to develop
innovations, to train scientific and research personnel, to create a common data bank and to carry
out the joint research.
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia, the Armenian State Agrarian University
and research centers of the agricultural sector have expressed gratitude to the Government of the
Russian Federation and the Moscow Lomonosov State University for the establishment of the
Eurasian Center for Food Security and the inclusion of Armenia into the focus group of countries
and expressed their readiness for mutual and fruitful cooperation.
Professor Samvel Sergeevich Avetisyan, the World Bank expert, Doctor of Economic Sciences.
www.fao.org / fsnforum / ecfs
-4-
fsn-moderator@fao.org
Eurasian Food Security Network
Assessment of the situation in the Republic of Uzbekistan
Food security is an important socio-economic problem, the solution of which is of great importance
for the country, and therefore it is the most topical public policy designed to ensure national
security, to preserve its statehood and sovereignty, as well as a necessary condition for a national
strategy to improve the welfare of the population. Covering a wide range of national, economic,
social, demographic and environmental factors, the policy of food security is implemented through
the development and implementation of measures aimed at increasing the production of their own
food products, creating the necessary social, institutional, and industrial infrastructure to provide the
population with food.
The most important aspect is the development of agro-industrial complex through the introduction
of the achievements in the advanced industrial science and the latest technologies with a view to
improve land productivity and crop yields.
The main objectives of food security are:
 to expand the domestic production of food products in order to create reliable reserves of
food and raw materials to ensure food security of the country from domestic sources, which
is particularly important in the face of rising prices for basic foods on the world markets;

to achieve and maintain the physical and economic accessibility for all citizens to safe food
in quantities and assortments that meet the standards of rational consumption of food needed
for an active and healthy lifestyle;

to ensure quality and safety of food products.
The objectives of national food security in Uzbekistan involve four components defined by the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: security, availability, consumption and
stability.
Security (availability or physical accessibility) of food in the country has been achieved through the
restructuring of agricultural production and the increased investments in modern agricultural
technologies, deepening market reforms in the economy. As a result of these changes, Uzbekistan
has achieved grain independence, increased the production of meat and dairy products, fruits and
vegetables.
Availability (or economic affordability) of food has been ensured by a stable economic growth, the
implementation of measures for the social protection of the population, price regulation, the
creation of community-oriented institutional framework for sustainable food supply of population
and deepening market reforms.
Consumption or maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet has been achieved through the
implementation of national programs designed to improve food quality and through the integrated
www.fao.org / fsnforum / ecfs
-5-
fsn-moderator@fao.org
Eurasian Food Security Network
system of food safety. Currently, Uzbekistan, in general, produces enough of all kinds of calories
for its population.
Stability of food security in Uzbekistan is based on the preventive measures related to adverse
weather conditions, the maintenance of political stability, regulation of economic factors, such as
price controls on essential food products, as well as on taking action in the event of low crop
forecasting, etc.
The mechanisms to ensure national food security
The mechanism to ensure national food security has been determined by the relevant laws and
regulations defining conditions of functioning of the branches of the national economy and ensuring
inter-sectoral management of the economy. Important role has been also played by a mechanism for
allocating financial resources of the state budget to different funds designed to support various
sectors and industries, local governments, to provide the commercial banks with lending, as well as
providing organizations and businesses, and other private sector entities with their own means.
The comprehensive measures and mechanisms designed to ensure food security, are aimed at
maintaining a stable domestic supplies of food and raw materials. In line with the government
forecasts of socio-economic development of the country, these events set the basic parameters of
the production of major food commodities, the planting acreage and projected production of meat
and dairy, fruits and vegetables, as well as the expansion of production facilities for processing
agricultural products.
The national food security policy is aimed at addressing the following tasks:
-to increase the yield and production of agricultural products: to ensure grain self-sufficiency,
increase the production of meat and dairy products;
-to develop transport and communication infrastructure;
-to develop processing industry of agricultural products;
-to improve the monetary system of agro-industrial complex;
-to ensure social protection of the population and the allocation of subsidies to the population;
-to improve the insurance system and the tax system;
-to support and develop the food industry, etc.
The mechanism to ensure food security in the Republic of Uzbekistan, in particular, includes:
- expansion of agricultural production by optimizing the placement and improving the efficiency of
agricultural production: vegetables, melons, potatoes; production of milk, eggs;
-improving the efficiency of government support, focusing on the creation of conditions for
financial stability and solvency of the producers;
-development of scientific capacity of agro-industrial complex;
www.fao.org / fsnforum / ecfs
-6-
fsn-moderator@fao.org
Eurasian Food Security Network
-introduction of new technologies for deep and complex processing of food raw materials, methods
of storage and transportation of agricultural products;
-development of specialized companies for advance payments, purchase, transportation, storage and
wholesale of fruit and vegetables in order to ensure a stable supply of the population with the basic
foodstuffs;
-improving the efficiency of the system of sanitary, veterinary and phytosanitary control in
accordance with international rules and standards;
-allocating to the newly created specialized companies the necessary working capital and lending
them the necessary material and technical base;
-increasing the number of cattle and poultry due to the development of breeding, veterinary services
network and accelerated development of poultry;
-improvement of transport and communication.
Dr. Botir Dosov, consultant of the Association of Research Institutions in Central Asia and the
Caucasus (CACAARI)
www.fao.org / fsnforum / ecfs
-7-
fsn-moderator@fao.org