DUSHANBE, May 22, 2009, Asia-Plus — The national budget has earmarked more than 105 million somoni this year for implementation agrarian sector development support programs and maintenance of the agriculture management personnel despite serious economic and financial situation, Gurez Bakoyev, an official with the Ministry of Finance (MoF), said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
According to him, a number of investment projects for a total amount of more than 250 million U.S. dollars (grants are left out of account) are currently being implemented in the agrarian sector.
Noting that the government has given a 180 million somoni preferential credit to farmers this year for carrying out field work, Bakoyev added that grants, donor funds and humanitarian aid were going to supporting “implementation of other kinds of work connected with production process.”
“Every year, significant funds are allocated for construction of productive and social-cultural facilities in rural areas,” said he. “This year, the budget has earmarked 6 million somoni for these purposes.”
Besides, there is reserve resource fund to ensure regular work of the agrarian sector in case of the emergence of any unforeseen situation (bad weather, disasters). “50 million somoni are provided for such situations this year,” the MoF official said.
However, efficient and targeted use of budgetary funds earmarked for enhancement of the agrarian sector leaves much to be desired, Bakoyev said.
He considers that to stabilize the situation and come out of the present situation it is necessary to take extraordinary measures, create practicable economic conditions for improvement of management, targeted and efficient use of the provided funds, rational and efficient use of lands, water and existing opportunities as well as development of initiative and self-sufficiency.
