Food Security and Political Stability in Tajikistan by Raj Kumar Sharma

Author:Raj Kumar Sharma [Sharma, Raj Kumar]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Geopolitics, Political Science
ISBN: 9788193759134
Google: AT_AuQEACAAJ
Goodreads: 41166615
Publisher: VIJ BOOKS INDIA
Published: 2018-01-15T09:16:40+00:00

Source: Boymatova 2011: 10.

It is chaired by the Prime Minister of Tajikistan while deputy chair is deputy Prime Minister. Different ministers, chairman of some state committees and heads of some agencies are members of the council. The council has been established according to the Article 15 of ‘Law on Food Security’. It is a consultative-advisory body for coordinating activities and adopting strategies regarding continuous supply of food in Tajikistan. It also has to prepare swift plans to deal with food crises and emergency food situations. The council meets once in a month and representatives from international donor organisations and countries can also be invited as observers (FAO 2014a). Food security in Tajikistan is a wide and scattered concept which is an inherent theme in laws on land reforms, food safety, social security and water code of the country. Access to clean drinking water is very important for ensuring food security. Populations which have better access to water suffer less levels of malnutrition as a rule (Bobodzhanova 2012). In Tajikistan, only 33 percent of the total population has access to chlorinated piped water. Around 30 percent rely on spring water while rest of the population depends on river and other sources like open ditch water. Only five percent of the population has been connected to sewerage system (UN Economic Commission for Europe 2012). Due to poor access to water in Tajikistan, a quarter of the children under age of five are stunted (USAID 2014). Water, like land remains state property in Tajikistan under Article 13 and state determines its use in interests of the people. However, the water infrastructure built by Soviet Union has been decaying while Tajikistan lacks financial capacity to repair it. Food safety, another aspect of food security is a neglected area in Tajikistan. Food safety is based on Soviet standards while there is lack of coordination due to involvement of a number of ministries and agencies (Khodjamurodov and Rechel 2010).

As is evident, Tajikistan lacks a specific legislation on food security and a wide range of laws and sub-laws covering food security are in place in the country. The multifaceted nature of concept of food security requires a focused national action. Experts have been arguing that Tajikistan should adopt a food security act which would help in coordinating all the aspects of food security in Tajikistan (Knuth 2008). Such a law is necessary to lay out a conceptual legal framework and fix responsibility for food security in Tajikistan. Since its independence in 1991, Tajikistan has made some good progress in its quest for attaining food security. The area under cotton cultivation has come down while area devoted to grains and vegetables has grown. However, Tajikistan is a weak state which requires help and assistance from foreign countries and international organisations in ensuring food security for its citizens. This has been discussed in chapter 5. Tajikistan continuously monitors food security situation in the country with the help of international and UN organisations. Since 2005, Statistical Agency under President of

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