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The multiple paradoxes of the agriculture issue in Central Asia

03/11/2009 By Sébastien Peyrouse

Agriculture constitutes one of the main sectors in the economies of Central Asia. Key areas include cotton production in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, a booming grain sector in Kazakhstan, and a long tradition of vegetable cultivation throughout the region. The agrarian question is sensitive given that the population is predominantly rural and because food security is not guaranteed in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Whereas Central Asia is a modest partner in terms of agricultural trade and relatively few European companies are based in the sector, the agrarian issue is of importance for the EU. In the face of massive corruption, what cooperative agricultural development should be proposed by Brussels? What policy should be pursued towards cotton production, which often uses child labour? How should land reform be supported? This EUCAM working paper explores these questions.

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Keywords

Central Asia and Russia EU Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan

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Bio author: Sébastien Peyrouse

Central Asia. Russia. China. Security. Political systems. Geo-economy. Islam