IFPRI CA NEWS DIGEST (MARCH 19 – MARCH 31, 2014)
News
(Kazakh Zerno, 19 March 2014) A delegation of business people from Uzbekistan and South Kazakhstan region met to discuss cooperation in agricultural production and construction sectors. Mr. Daribayev, Head of the “Shymkent Innovation” informed that the meeting was the first of a kind between South Kazakhstan region entrepreneurs and members of Uzbek Trade and Commerce Chamber. Kazakh and Uzbek business want to establish joint ventures in agricultural processing, textile and construction materials production.
Kazakhstan increases wheat export to Russia by one third
(Tengri News, 26 March 2014) Russia increased import of Kazakh wheat from 1 July 2013 till 28 February 2014 by 35.8%. According to Deputy Director of the Strategic Marketing Department of “RusAgroTrans” Igor Pavensky, Russia will import about 1.4 million tons of grain from Kazakhstan compare to 1.7 million tons in 2013. At the same time, year around Russian grain export is expected to around 23.7 million tons, including 17.1 million tons of wheat.
Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus to launch a single banking regulator by 2025
(Tengri News, 26 March 2014) Member states of the Eurasian Economic Unions – Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, are to unify regulation of the banking sectors by 2025, according to First Prime Minister of Russia Igor Shuvalov.
Fuel prices to remain unchanged in Kazakhstan until mid year: Oil Minister
(Tengri News, 28 March 2014) Fuel prices in Kazakhstan to remain unchanged in Kazakhstan until the mid of the year according to Oil and Gas Minister, Uzakbai Karabalin. According to the Minister, “following the 20% currency devaluation, there are fewer of those willing to import fuel from the neighboring Russia as imports are no longer as profitable as they used to be. KazMunaiGas national oil company has taken the burden… and the company will be maintaining the prices at the declared level regardless of the marketing economy rules”.
Kazakh wheat exports regained its position, time to wait effects of devaluation (Russian)
(Kazakh Zerno, 31 March 2014) Kazakhstan exported in average 850 thousand tons of grain during the last three months of 2013, and opened 2014 with an amount close to 600 thousand tons in January and February. Experts believe that trades in February didn’t feel the effect of devaluation because of usual one month lag that is experienced in the grain trade in the country. Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have been main importers of wheat during the last five month before March. The article reports that amongst non-CIS wheat importers Iran is the leading importer followed by China. Germany was the third in the list the surprise of many experts.
Melt waters besiege villages in eastern Kazakhstan
(Tengri News, 28 March 2014) Several villages have been flooded with melt waters in eastern Kazakhstan. Warm weather got the snow to melt very fast and the level of water in the region's water basins went so high that melt water started spilling over and flooding the nearby residential areas.
Arable lands of Kyrgyzstan lose 50 percent of potential
(Tengri News, 20 March 2014) Acad. Zhamin Akimaliev stated at the annual general meeting of the National Academy of Sciences that during 23 years of independence, arable lands of Kyrgyzstan have lost 50 percent of the soil quality. Academician believes the problem lies in the ill-conceived and unscientific agrarian reforms undertaken in early post-independence period, when large farms were divided into 325,000 inefficient farms.
World Bank Board of Directors approves financing of CASA-1000 project at 526.5 mln USD
(24.kg, 28 March 2014) The World Bank has approved the financing of CASA-1000 project at the amount of 526.5 million USD. The CASA-1000 project is designed to construct power transmission lines at length of more than 1,200 kilometers and necessary substations for transmission of excess Kyrgyz and Tajik hydropower energy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. A total project cost is estimated at $1.17 billion.
Majority of tourists come to Kyrgyzstan from Russia
(24.kg, 31 March, 2014) The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Erlan Abdyldayev, stated at session of the committee on international affairs that majority of tourists (57.6 percent) visiting Kyrgyzstan come from Russia, followed by Kazakhstan - 25.6 percent, Germany - 16 percent, France - 14.3 percent, and USA - 9.6 percent.
Russian parliament ratifies protocol extending working permit period for Tajik labor migrants in Rus
(Asia Plus, 24 March 2014) Russia’s lower house (State Duma) of parliament has ratified the protocol on making amendments the government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and Russia on labor activity and protection of rights of Tajik nationals in Russia and protection of rights of Russian nationals in Tajikistan. Under this protocol, Tajik nationals are now eligible to obtain three-year work permits in Russia, instead of the previous one-year work permits, and Tajik nationals now may stay in the Russia Federation for 15 days without registering instead of the previous seven days.
Tajik southern districts launch cotton-sowing campaign
(Asia Plus, 31 March 2014) Tajik southern districts have launched a cotton-sowing campaign, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). It is believed that Tajikistan has allocated 199,451 hectares to cotton cultivation this year. Last year, Tajik farmers reportedly planted cotton on 191,333 hectares, which was 8,133 hectares fewer than in 2012.
Uzbek Parliament adopts amendments to Constitution
(Trend, 29 March 2014) The lower house of the Uzbek Parliament adopted amendments to the country's Constitution which redistributes powers between the president, the legislative and executive powers, as well as increased public and parliamentary control over the activities of government bodies.
World Bank prepared to loan Uzbekistan $200 mln for railway line
(Interfax, 31 March 2014) The World Bank (WB) is planning to issue Uzbek government-owned railway company “Uzbekiston Temir Yullari” 200 million USD loan for the construction of Angren-Pap railway line through the Kamchik Pass by January 2015. Construction began in September 2013, and Uzbekiston Temir Yullari and China Railway Tunnel Group signed 455 million USD contract for construction of the tunnel in June 2013. The projected rail line will avoid crossing Tajik territory to reach populous Ferghana valley in Uzbekistan and expected to cost about 1.77 billion USD.
Publications
Impacts of climate change on farm income security in Central Asia: An integrated modeling approach
(Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, Vol. 188, 2014)
Abstract: Increased risk due to global warming has already become embedded in agricultural decision making in Central Asia and uncertainties are projected to increase even further. Agro-ecology and economies of Central Asia are heterogenous and very little is known about the impact of climate change at the sub-national levels. The bio-economic farm model (BEFM) is used for ex ante assessment of climate change impacts at sub-national levels in Central Asia. The BEFM is calibrated to 10 farming systems in Central Asia based on the household survey and crop growth experiment data. The production uncertainties and the adaptation options of agricultural producers to changing environments are considered paramount in the simulations. Very large differences in climate change impacts across the studied farming systems are found. The positive income gains in large-scale commercial farms in the northern regions of Kazakhstan and negative impact in small-scale farms in arid zones of Tajikistan are likely to happen. Producers in Kyrgyzstan may expect higher revenues but also higher income volatilities in the future. Agricultural producers in Uzbekistan may benefit in the near future but may lose their income in the distant future. The negative impacts could be further aggravated in arid zones of Central Asia if irrigation water availability decline due to climate change and water demand increase in upstream regions. The scenario simulations show that market liberalization and improved commodity exchange between the countries have very good potential to cope with the negative consequences of climate change.
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