[Central Asia] Tajikistan Agriculture Part 2

Hello, welcome to the second part of our series on agriculture in Tajikistan. Thank you for your continued interest.

3. Agricultural Production

Production Volumes

- Tajikistan's geography is dominated by high altitudes, with half of the country lying above 3,000 meters and only 7% of the land being arable, leading to low food production.

- In 2020, the total grain production (including both the first and second harvests) was 1.3 million tons, with the main crop being wheat, which accounted for 845,500 tons. Barley and oats were produced in smaller quantities, and potato production was estimated at 916,000 tons.

- Wheat is grown on 270,000 hectares, and cotton on 186,155 hectares, together comprising half of the total cultivated area. Barley covers 70,546 hectares, potatoes 47,868 hectares, and vegetables around 70,000 hectares.

- The production volumes for these crops are: wheat 846,000 tons, potatoes 890,000 tons, barley 150,000 tons, corn 110,000 tons, and total vegetable production is 2 million tons.

- Potatoes, leafy vegetables, melons, and berries are mainly grown in Khatlon (45%), Sughd (31%), and DRS (Districts of Republican Subordination) (22%).

Agricultural Inputs

- According to the FAO, fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural machinery are primarily imported from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.

- Most fertilizers are used for cotton cultivation in dehkan farms.

- Between independence and 1999, the use of mineral fertilizers dropped sharply to 23,200 tons but was compensated by increased use of organic fertilizers (256,400 tons).

- Since then, the use of mineral fertilizers has tripled (67,900 tons in 2019, still half of the 1991 levels), with about 50% used for cotton. The use of organic fertilizers has decreased, primarily used now for vegetables, potatoes, and forage crops.

- In 2019, the number of agricultural machines in use was 27,776, a 2% increase from the previous year, but still insufficient, with one machine for every 23.9 hectares, leading to a 20-30% reduction in crop yields.

- Tajikistan has the lowest number of tractors per 100 km² (108), and while the import of agricultural machinery has resumed, financial constraints limit the scale and efficiency.

- The government allocates an annual budget of $700,000 to support the import of agricultural machinery and materials. Despite various state and donor-supported initiatives, the availability of machinery remains inadequate.

- Pest control is also ineffective, posing a significant obstacle to sustainable food crop production. The system for registering and selling pesticides is underdeveloped and needs improvement.

- Pesticides sold on the market are often outdated, harmful to crops, past their expiration dates, or counterfeit.

- Locust infestations periodically affect three-quarters of the national territory, with the most severe impacts in southern Khatlon, followed by Sughd and DRS regions.

- Over the past decade, locust infestations have affected approximately 500,000 hectares of farmland annually, with 60,000-140,000 hectares treated each year.

- Locust infestations, spanning 4,000 km of the border, threaten neighboring countries and require regional cooperation for effective management.

- The annual economic impact of locust damage ranges from $10 million to $15 million, severely affecting the livelihoods of Tajikistan's poorest populations.

- In 2020, Tajikistan imported 36.3 tons of wheat seed from Russia, 123 tons of corn seed from China, 202 tons of potato seed from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Germany, and 188 tons of cotton seed from China and Turkey.

Water Resources and Infrastructure

- Sixty percent of all irrigated land is affected by erosion, and 97% of arable land suffers from inefficient irrigation and saline groundwater intrusion. Overgrazing has degraded 85% of pasture soil.

- Tajikistan has a total of 750,000 hectares of irrigated land, and the country’s annual surface water volume is estimated at 60.46 km³.

- Tajikistan receives an average of 13.31 km³ of surface water annually from neighboring countries, while 54.86 km³ flows out of the country.

- The domestic groundwater volume is about 6 km³ per year, with 3 km³ overlapping with surface water.

- Agriculture consumes 90-92% of the total annual water intake, with furrow irrigation being the most widely used surface irrigation method.

- The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources formulates policies and laws for the water sector, while the Agency of Land Reclamation and Irrigation manages sustainable irrigation and drainage systems.

- As a result, four river basins have been established: Syr-Darya, Kafirnigan, Vakhsh, and Panj.

- Despite agriculture consuming 85% of water usage, inefficient infrastructure and poor management mean only 40% of water reaches crops.

- The remaining 60% is lost through antiquated irrigation systems, mostly built in the mid-20th century, and pump irrigation systems are inefficient due to outdated equipment and rising electricity costs.

- Due to poor irrigation facilities, less than 500,000 hectares of arable land are currently irrigated. Ongoing pump repairs have been inadequate, with 40-50% of pumps and motors no longer operational.

- The 2012-2020 National Program for Irrigation and Land Reclamation aimed to expand irrigation by 18,890 hectares and restore 7,800 hectares of farmland, supported by national budgets and development cooperation. However, the ambitious plan remains unfulfilled, and reclamation conditions are still poor.

- Inefficient irrigation and saline groundwater damage reduce cotton production by approximately 100,000 tons annually, adversely affecting productivity.

- Key agencies involved in water resource management and protection in Tajikistan include the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, the Agency of Land Reclamation and Irrigation, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Environmental Protection Committee, the Hydrometeorology Agency, the Emergency Situations and Civil Defense Committee, the Main Geology Department, the Industrial Safety and Mining Inspection Agency, the State Unitary Enterprise Khochagii Manzili Kommunali, the Open Joint Stock Company Barki Tojik, and Water User Associations (WUAs).

We have discussed agricultural production in Tajikistan. Stay tuned for more insights.