IFPRI CA NEWS DIGEST (MARCH 15, 2017 – MARCH 21, 2017)
News
Europe, Central Asia transitioning to new nutrition challenges, cautions UN agency
(14 March 2017 UN) UN’s FAO released a new regional overview of Europe and Central Asia earlier this month, sub-titled “The Food Security Transition.” The report calls for a change in thinking of nutrition policies in the region, moving from concerns over calorie sufficiency to focusing on healthy and balanced diets.Overnutrition (measured by overweight and obesity) and micronutrient deficiency are becoming increasingly problematic issues in the region according to the report, which proposes biofortication specifically for Central Asia and the Caucasus as a potential response.
List of seed materials allowed for import to Kyrgyzstan to be supplemented
(15 March 2017 24.kg) Kyrgyz prime minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov signed a decree governing the production and import of seed varieties. The resolution included a list of seed materials permitted for import and was intended to offer farmers access to high-quality certified seeds and planting material.
Kazakhstan to allocate $41 million of technical assistance to Kyrgyzstan
(18 March 2017 24.kg) Kazakhstan will provide $41 million in technical assistance to Kyrgyzstan under the framework of Eurasian Economic Union cooperation. Kazakhstan will help fund modernization of Kyrgyzstan’s customs infrastructure and testing laboratories.
New plant opens in south Kyrgyzstan with EU support
(21 March 2017 Times of Central Asia) A factory producing plastic pipes for drip irrigation was opened in Kyrgyzstan. The construction of the plant was supported by the European Union and implemented by an Austrian firm. According to project experts, the plant will help reduce prices for drip irrigation supplies and use recyclable materials for production.
Other Information
Dushanbe-Qurghonteppa road rehabilitation project waits for endorsement by Tajik lawmakers
(17 March 2017 Asia-Plus) A project to rehabilitate the Dushanbe-Qurghonteppa highway is pending approval at the Tajik parliament. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Tajik government agreed to financing terms to support the $65.2 million project to improve the road between Dushanbe and Qurghonteppa. It connects the largest city in Khatlon province to the capital and is one of the most heavily traveled roads in the country.
Tajikistan expresses gratitude to Uzbekistan for humanitarian aid
(20 March 2017 Asia-Plus) The Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defense under the Government of Tajikistan expressed gratitude to the government of Uzbekistan for sending nearly 60 tons in humanitarian aid earlier this month. Tajikistan has suffered at least 500 avalanches and mudslides in the past two months and has appealed to the international community for aid.
Central Asian countries ranked average in World Happiness Report 2017
(20 March 2017 Sustainable Development Solutions Network) Central Asian countries generally ranked average among all countries in The World Happiness Report 2017: Uzbekistan (47th), Turkmenistan (59th), Kazakhstan (60th), Tajikistan (96th), and Kyrgyzstan (98th). The report was first published in 2012 in support of a UN High Level Meeting on happiness and well-being.
Publications
Detection and characterization of Brucella spp. in bovine milk in small-scale urban and peri-urban farming in Tajikistan
Lindahl-Rajala E, Hoffman T, Fretin D, Godfroid J, Sattorov N, Boqvist S, et al. (2017)
Finance and income inequality in Kazakhstan: evidence since transition with policy suggestions
Shahbaz, M, Bhattacharya M, Mahalik M (2017)
Archived issues of the news digest can be found on the Central Asia page under the ReSAKSS Asia website: http://resakss-asia.org/regions/central-asia. A link to the newsletter can be found under Blog Posts.
The articles included in this news digest have been generated from online sources. Any opinions stated herein are not representative of, or endorsed by, the International Food Policy Research Institute or its partners.
