IFPRI CENTRAL ASIA NEWS WEEKLY DIGEST (JUNE 9 – JUNE 15, 2015)
News and Analysis
Nursultan Nazarbayev speaks about Kazakhstan's agricultural sector
(TengriNews, 9 June 2015) Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev has expressed some concerns about Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector, Tengrinews reports. “Forty percent of our population live there (in rural areas) and 22 percent work in the agricultural sector. You can see that urbanization process goes fairly slow, but we are not in a hurry,” Nazarbayev said at the meeting. President also suggested that the country will invest about 16 billion USD into the food sector to develop local production and decrease its dependence of food imports which makes more than half of the food consumption, he believes. President also declared that Kazakhstan’s three agricultural universities would be merged into a single research center to boost the country's agriculture, according to the article.
IMF Executive Board Concludes 2015 Article IV Consultation with Tajikistan
(IMF Press Release, 9 June 2015) The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation with Tajikistan, informs the IMF press release. Growth has been strong and poverty has fallen in the past decade, though Tajikistan faces rising vulnerabilities amid falling remittances with the slowdown in Russia and dropping earnings from cotton and aluminum exports due to global market developments, according to the IMF. GDP growth eased to 6.7 percent in 2014 from 7.4 percent in 2013. Growth in 2014 was supported primarily by a rapid expansion in construction, while services (driven by remittances) and agriculture slowed markedly. In 2015, growth is projected to fall to 3 percent on the back of an expected sharp decline in the U.S. dollar value of remittances inflows.
In Tajikistan, Ban highlights importance of safe water, sanitation and human rights
(UN News Centre, 9 June 2015) Kicking off a High-level International Conference on the Implementation of the International Decade for Action “Water for Life”, 2005-2015, in Tajikistan, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged nations in the region and beyond to renew their commitment to safe water and sanitation as the international community forges ahead with the post-2015 development agenda and climate change intensifies the need to act. On a regional level, Mr. Ban said it was crucial to reach consensus over the management of trans-boundary water resources in Central Asia. Further ratification by countries of Central Asia of the water conventions will create a solid framework for this, he suggests.
Intersectoral WHO/FAO workshop supporting capacity building in food safety in Uzbekistan
(WHO Regional Office for Europe, 10 June 2015) The article informs about a joint workshop organized by WHO and FAO on strengthening food safety systems in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on 27–28 May 2015. The workshop, opened by high-level representatives of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Management, brought together about 40 national professionals from the public health, veterinary and agriculture sectors, says the article.
Rosselhoznadzor Stops 205 Tons of Kazakh, Uzbek and Kyrgyz Produce from Crossing Border
(Silk Road Reporters, 10 June 2015) Russia’s Rosselhoznadzor - Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, has sent 11 trucks with 76 tons of fruits and vegetables from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan back to their home countries with their cargoes, reports the article. Russia enacted a temporary ban on the import of certain quarantined products from Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan since April 2012, informs the article.
Ban Ki-Moon tours Central Asian countries (several links)
(UN News Centre, 11-13 June 2015) All efforts for sustainable development and a stable future must involve a deep respect for human rights and the strengthening of rule of law, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon affirmed today as he concluded his five-day tour of Central Asia with a visit to Turkmenistan. In Turkmenistan, UN chief says future peace, development hinge on human rights. In Uzbekistan, welcoming progress towards MDGs, Ban encouraged Uzbekistan to promote human rights. In Kyrgyzstan, UN chief celebrated parliaments as beacon of human rights efforts.
Regional dialogue supports trade integration in Central Asia
(FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, 11 June 2015) FAO in collaboration with the UNDP and the Ministry of Agriculture of China organized a three day regional workshop (26-28 May 2015) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, encouraging an open dialogue on pressing issues affecting agricultural trade in Central Asia, acknowledges the article. Private sector participants pointed to import-export “red tape” and non-tariff trade barriers, and difficulties with obtaining sanitary and phytosanitary certificates as typical constraints. Low quality of statistics for monitoring the evolution of regional trade was also mentioned by workshop participants as an area requiring urgent government attention.
Russia and UNDP sign a funding agreement to benefit regional and global development
(UNDP in Europe and Central Asia, 11 June 2015) UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signed an agreement today that establishes the Russian Federation – UNDP Trust Fund for Development, with initial funding of US $25 million from Russia over the next four years. The activities to be supported by the Trust Fund will focus on poverty alleviation; disaster risk reduction and early preparedness for emergencies; and energy and environment. It will support initiatives implemented by UNDP in Central Asia and elsewhere, says the UNDP press release.
Kyrgyz economy to adapt to norms of EEU only by 2017
(24.kg, 13 June 2015) The Kyrgyz economy will adapt to the norms of the EEU only by 2017, according to the Minister of Economy Oleg Pankratov. According to him, in 2016, nominal GDP is expected to increase by 4.1%. At the same time, inflation is thought to be around 10.2% with projections of 10-15% increase in food prices.
Modern crop management a must in Kyrgyzstan
(FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, 15 June 2015) With soil fertility declining and pests and diseases reducing crop yields, farmers in Kyrgyzstan are ready to try something new, says FAO’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. The article describes how FAO’s ongoing project aimed at helping Kyrgyzstan’s farmers adopt modern crop management and pest control technologies has been organized field day for twenty-two representatives from 20 farmer field schools in two rayons of the Chui valley.
Publications
Mapping abandoned agricultural land in Kyzyl-Orda, Kazakhstan using satellite remote sensing
(F. Low, E. Fliemann, I. Abdullaev, S. Conrad and J. Lamers. 2015. Applied Geography. Vol. 62.)
Abstract Highlights: Cropland abandonment is a problem in agricultural development in Kazakhstan which has been receiving more heightened attention. This study maps and analyzes agricultural land use in the irrigated areas of Kyzyl-Orda, southern Kazakhstan, Central Asia. For mapping land use and identifying abandoned agricultural land, an object-based classification approach was applied. Random forest (RF) and support vector machines (SVM) algorithms permitted classifying Landsat and RapidEye data from 2009 to 2014. Through the analysis of the land use trajectories, abandoned agricultural fields and a clear indication of abandoned land were identified on almost 50% of all fields in Kyzyl-Orda with an accuracy of approximately 80%. The outputs of this study may provide valuable information for planners, policy- and decision-makers to support better-informed decision-making like reducing possible environmental impacts of land abandonment, or identifying areas for sustainable intensification or re-cultivation.
(I. Soliev, K. Wegerich and J. Kazbekov. 2015. Water. Vol. 7(6).)
Abstract Highlights: Relatively little attention has been paid to the costs associated with benefit sharing in using natural resources, particularly in the long run. The study provides a number of concerns that have been likely overlooked in the literature and examines the approach in the case of the Ferghana Valley shared by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan utilizing data for the period from 1917 to 2013. Institutional analysis traces back the origins of property rights of the transboundary infrastructure, shows cooperative activities and fierce negotiations on various governance levels. The research discusses implications of the findings for the nexus debate and unveils at least four types of costs associated with benefit sharing: (1) Costs related to equity of sharing (horizontal and vertical); (2) Costs to the environment; (3) Transaction costs and risks of losing water control; and (4) Costs as a result of likely misuse of issue linkages.
Retail Developments in Poland, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine: A Comparative Analysis
(L.A. Manrai, A.K. Manrai, D-N Lascu and D. Dickerson. 2015. International Journal of Business and Economics. Vol. 14(1).)
Abstract: We apply the “Three Speed” model (Lynn, 1993) to compare retail industry developments in the context of three countries—a non-Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country (Poland), a former CIS country that terminated its relationship with CIS in 2014 although it was one of the founding members (Ukraine), and a current CIS country (Kazakhstan). Poland is considered to be the lead country, Ukraine is considered to be the lag country, and Kazakhstan is considered to fall in between Poland and Ukraine in terms of retail developments. We propose an “Environmental Theory,” and in particular an “Adjustment Theory,” suggesting that the retail development is a function of various environmental influences and a country’s capability to adopt the changes resulting from the environmental dynamics. We provide a comparative discussion of the environment in the three countries and favorable as well as unfavorable factors for the development of retail trade.
(D. Jonbekova. 2015. European Education. Vol. 47(2).)
Abstract: This paper examines employers’ perspectives about university graduates’ skills and preparation for employment in post-Soviet Tajikistan. It explores the mismatch between the skills university graduates acquire and the skills required in the job market, and addresses some of the underlying reasons for the perceived skills mismatch. Thematic analysis of interviews with employers’ and secondary data suggest that the quality of higher education has declined considerably over the past two decades, widening the gap between the skills acquired by university graduates and those required by employers. The findings show that despite a rapid expansion of the higher education sector in Tajikistan, an increasing number of individuals are obtaining degrees, but fail to demonstrate a basic understanding of their field of study. I argue that while the skills mismatch derives from the challenges faced by the education system, a latent labor market and a weak economy are also contributing to the skills mismatch. The goals set by politicians and policy-makers, envisioning the internationalization of education and the preparation of the graduates to be responsive to the local and global labor market needs, seem far from being achieved in the near future. Employers’ perspectives suggest that the reform of the education sector without the creation of more decent job opportunities will likely exacerbate the current skills mismatch in Tajikistan.
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