The Government has endorsed the Tajikistan Food Security Program designed for 2019-2023. In all, 72.5 million somoni (equivalent to some 8 million U.S. dollars), including budgetary funds, investments (grants) attracted from domestic and foreign organizations as well as other sources, are expected to be allocated for implementation of this program.
The document, in particular, notes that rates of consumption of food products per capita for the main socio-demographic groups of the population are not observed.
Food consumption rates are reportedly based on, first of all, food supply ratio, national circumstances of the country and the population purchasing power.
Below is the consumer basket per persons per year endorsed by the government:
• Bread products – 145.2 kilograms;
• Potatoes – 64.8 kilograms;
• Vegetables and melons and gourds – 73.2 kilograms;
• Fruits – 28.8 kilograms;
• Sugar – 14.4 kilograms;
• Meat products – 25.2 kilograms;
• Fishes – 5.8 kilograms;
• Diary products – 36.9 kilograms;
• Eggs – 194.4 pieces;
• Vegetable oils – 16kilograms;
• Other products (salt, tea, food flavorings) – 0.36 kilogram.
The program authors note that a total area of the irrigated lands in Tajikistan is some 760,000 hectares and funds provided by the government every year for restoration of degraded lands are not enough.
The document says that irrational use of lands leads to decrease in areas under crop.
In 2010-2017, an area of cultivated lands reportedly decreased by 14,312 hectares, while the country’s population has reached 9 million.
72.5 million somoni will be needed in the coming five years for implementation of this program. It is expected that the national budget will allocate 25.5 million somoni for implementation of this program and the remaining 47 million somoni will be provided by other sources.
