secondary data review on the food security situation in the kyrgyz ...

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Summary of the <strong>secondary</strong> <strong>review</strong> in relation to food securityKyrgyzstan is a small landlocked country, predominantly mountainous, with an estimatedpopulation of 5.2 million people. There is clear divide between the north and south of thecountry. Fertile crop areas are limited to valleys and mostly located in the south (particularlythe Ferghana Valley). Industries are rather found in the north, where the population presentsbetter economic and social indicators than the rest of the country. The country is prone toseveral natural disasters, including earthquakes which have occurred at the end of 2007 andin October 2008.Food availabilityAgriculture is the main source of livelihoods of about 2/3rds of the population and continues tocontribute to a significant share of the country’s Gross Development Product (34%). Cropproduction, in the southern valley mostly, is dominated by grains (wheat for humanconsumption and maize and barley for animal feed), but potatoes and vegetables are alsowidely produced. Livestock raising is concentrated in the highlands. Agriculture issubsistence-oriented, with most of the produce being consumed at household level andlimited marketing. Although yields are low due to lack of improved seeds and high cost offertilizer and pesticides, the country is practically self-sufficient in potatoes, vegetables, meatand dairy products. However, it must import at least half of its wheat requirements, as well asvegetable oil and sugar.The area under cultivation increased by almost 3% in 2007/08, as producers were probablyencouraged by high food prices. However, poor climatic conditions have adversely affectedthe harvests of wheat and vegetables. Import requirements for the 2007/08 season have beenestimated at between 300,000 and 475,000 tons (depending on the source of information).The government is able to meet import requirements commercially without requiring externalfood aid. However, the rise of international food prices, and particularly the higher cost ofwheat from Kazakhstan and of transportation will increase the foreign trade deficit.Food accessKyrgyzstan is a ‘low income country’ and second poorest ex-Soviet republic after Tajikistan.Although impressive progress were made on poverty reduction since the 1990s, owing mainlyto a stimulation of private consumption supported by remittances sent by migrants in Russiaand Kazakhstan, more than 1/3 rd of the population was considered poor and 7%extremely poor in 2007. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas (42% poor and 8% extremelypoor) and in <strong>secondary</strong> towns, while Bishkek and the northern region of Chui present thelowest poverty rates.Poverty is clearly associated with rural locations, large families, low level of education,unemployment, and limited access to infrastructure and improved water and sanitationfacilities. Remittances sent by migrants greatly contribute to alleviate poverty but benefit only16% of households. The Government implements a social assistance programme comprisinga variety of components (pensions, allowances, subsidies in cash and in-kind) and targetingdifferent groups of the population on the basis of their estimated income as well as personalcharacteristics (e.g. orphans, veterans, etc.). While this assistance as a whole covers abouthalf of the population, it presents a large exclusion error and the value of the benefitstransferred is very low.The rise of food and fuel prices since 2007 has provoked a peak of inflation, which hasreached 32% in June 2008. Producer prices and wages have also risen, but generally lessthan the food and fuel prices, thus resulting in a loss of purchasing power for most of thepopulation. Almost one out of 5 persons is considered to be both poor and net food consumerand thus most affected by the price increase. Urban citizens are expected to be most affected,given their high reliance on markets and cash income. However, the widespread practice ofbarter, particularly in rural areas, and limited knowledge of the coping mechanisms andcapacities of the population, make it difficult to estimate the impact of the high prices on thefood access and food consumption of the population.ii
Food consumption, nutritional status and utilizationAt national level, the average per capita food intake was estimated at 2,220 kilocalories percapita per day in 2007, just above the “standard” requirement of 2,100 kcal. However, it hasdecreased in 2007 compared to 2006 (2,270 kcal), and is also much lower among thepoorest groups of the population (1,560 kcal and 1,870 kcal for the 1 st and 2 nd poorestquintiles respectively).Low diet diversity and in some cases limited amounts of food, particularly of good qualityprotein and micro-nutrient rich food, affects especially children and contribute to the higherrates of stunting observed among those living in poor households. Chronic malnutrition,while relatively low compared to other poor countries, affects almost 19% of under-5 childrenin the poorest quintile, compared to 10% in the wealthiest quintile. However, unsatisfactorychild feeding practices are also contributing to child malnutrition. Deficiencies in iron,vitamin A and iodine also reflect poor diet diversity and are associated with stunting.More than a quarter of the population does not have access to improved water sourcesand 40% do not have access to improved sanitation. The situation is worse in rural areas.The quality of health care has deteriorated due to the degradation of infrastructures and lackof public spending on equipment. Health access has also decreased especially for the poorwho cannot afford the cost of drugs and ad hoc payments to health agents. The health andnutritional status of children are also correlated with maternal education levels. As the qualityand economic access to education has deteriorated for similar reasons as for health services,the improvements made over the past years on nutritional and health indicators areexpected to slow down, if not reverse back to poorer levels of the past.Perspectives on the food security situation and responses1) On the short-termThe government is expected to meet its import requirements – wheat, vegetable oil, sugar –with the financial support of international financing institutions (e.g. World Bank). Somedonors (e.g. USAID) have also pledged support with wheat seeds for the next planting season.The government has also taken measures to build up a State grain reserves, establish a 90-day food stock of 8 commodities, purchase wheat from domestic producers, subsidize dieselfor spring ploughing and fertilizer, decrease the Value Added Tax on a number of produce,and authorise easy term loans. However, the extent to which these measures will be actuallyimplemented, and how fast, remains uncertain.Some social benefits have already been increased (e.g. pensions) and the World Bank andthe European Commission have prepared projects to top-up the benefits provided by one ofthe major social assistance programme of the government. Nutritional support targeted tovulnerable groups (children, pregnant and lactating mothers) as well as agricultural support isalso envisaged under the World Bank project. Other responses that could be consideredinclude targeted food stamps and further VAT reductions on key food items.2) On the longer-termStructural measures to improve agricultural productivity (infrastructures, markets, credit,education) and investments (regulatory environment, transaction costs) are required. Therecent increased integration of Kyrgyzstan into the Central Asian region economy should besupported through better regulations and fiscal mechanisms.The social safety net should also be improved to increase coverage and decrease leakagesto the non-poor. Conditional cash transfers can also be envisaged to encourage and facilitatethe use of health and education services.iii
Page 1: SECONDARY DATA REVIEW ON THE FOOD S
Page 5 and 6: II - Demography and societyDemograp
Page 7 and 8: The country has gone through a diff
Page 9 and 10: for services and 47% for industry).
Page 11 and 12: The national food balance situation
Page 13 and 14: Livestock The livestock sector suff
Page 15 and 16: Energy policies do not seem to cont
Page 17 and 18: For the 2007/08 agricultural campai
Page 19 and 20: VI - Economic situation and poverty
Page 21 and 22: of its TACIS programme), UNDP, Isla
Page 23 and 24: 4% to 5% were noted. Extreme povert
Page 25 and 26: the poor were twice higher than of
Page 27 and 28: Unemployment rose to 8% in 2005. Ho
Page 29 and 30: Many young Kyrgyz workers find it m
Page 31 and 32: oRemittances contribute significant
Page 33 and 34: largest among the poor irrespective
Page 35 and 36: destination of products purchased i
Page 37 and 38: ooochildren under 16 years (and pup
Page 39 and 40: Nonetheless, the UMB programme rema
Page 41 and 42: The main difference between them ma
Page 43 and 44: At national level, per capita calor
Page 45 and 46: o19% of the population are both poo
Page 47 and 48: There is also a need to set up a re
Page 49 and 50: Initiation (anybreastfeeding)Exclus
Page 51 and 52: health insurance (in 2006) has enab
Page 53 and 54:
low in Jalal-Abad, Naryn and Talas
Page 55 and 56:
A continuing surge in consumer pric
Page 57 and 58:
Overall producer price inflation wa
Page 59 and 60:
However, faced with the risk of foo
Page 61 and 62:
oofinancing a topping up of unit be
Page 63 and 64:
Fuel imports could be reduced by mo
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