Food security in Central Asia : a priority for Western engagement

The international community has responded rapidly to the 2007-2008 food crisis in Central Asia, through ad hoc measures aimed at reducing the impact of both natural and economic disasters, especially on Tajikistan’s population. As the Central Asian populations brace themselves for yet another harsh winter with disrupted heating, electricity rationing, and food insecurity, time has come for a concerted strategy complementing humanitarian aid.Addressing the issue requires adopting a systemic and long-term approach that views food (in)security as one dimension of a broader nexus, linking water, gas and food in the Central Asian region, as well as parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Failing to address the crisis entails risks of social unrest due to economic grievances, which may escalate into political instability.