IFPRI CA NEWS DIGEST (AUGUST 9 – AUGUST 15, 2017)
News
Development Bank of Kazakhstan offers affordable financing for non-oil exporters
(August 10) The Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) will provide loans to 13 companies exporting non-oil products. Several companies producing processed foods are among those that have been allocated loans. DBK is a subsidiary of the country’s Baitarek National Holding company and is supporting the state’s five-year Nurly Zhol production and export initiative. – Astana Times
Kazakhstan keen on increasing import of Azerbaijani goods
(August 14) The Kazakh economic ministry has expressed its interest in purchasing a variety of Azerbaijani agricultural products, including potatoes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Azerbaijan, which mostly exports energy, is attempting to diversify its economy in order to lessen its reliance on oil. – Azernews
Undocumented horticultural goods from Central Asia detained in Russia
(August 15) More than 70 tons of fruits and vegetables from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan were detained by the Russian state food safety service Rosselkhoznadzor in the Novosibirsk region. Inspectors flagged the items for not having proper labeling or valid certification. – 24.kg
Eurasian Economic Union may sign free trade agreement with Iran this year
(August 15) Negotiations over a free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Iran are likely to be completed by the next EEU summit on October 11. The temporary agreement will establish a free trade zone between Iran and the five EEU member countries. – Times of Central Asia
Analysis & Other Information
Kazakhstan: horse milk gallops into the dairy market
(August 9) This story in Eurasianet showcases the efforts of a number of Kazakh entrepreneurs looking to make inroads into the local market with dairy products made from horses and camels. Although they have limited market presence, these entrepreneurs are using social media and other non-traditional means to advertise their goods. – Eurasia.net
The midnight train to Moscow: riding the rails to Russia with the migrant workers of Central Asia
(August 10) This feature story in Foreign Policy provides a look at the lives of Tajik labor migrants on their way to Russia by train. – Foreign Policy
Publications & Reports
China's Silk Road and Kazakhstan's Bright Path: linking dreams of prosperity
Kassenova (2017). Asia Policy, July 2017, 24, pp. 110-116.
International organizations as global migration governors: the World Bank in Central Asia
Korneev (2017). Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations, 2017, 23(3), pp. 403-421.
Food regulation in the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia
Petrenko, A. Kutyshenko, V. Tutelyan (2016). International Food Law and Policy, pp. 1379-1407.
The evolution of Russia's views on the Belt and Road Initiative
S. Peyrouse (2017). Asia Policy, July 2017, 24, pp. 96-102.
Events & Calls for Papers
ANICANET Summer School 2017
Training course. September 25-29, 2017 in Halle, Germany. Organized by Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO). Summer school on quantitative analysis featuring discussion about animal husbandry in Central Asia. Check link for detailed descriptions about program and eligibility. Deadline to register for the course was August 13, 2017. Please contact anicanet@iamo.de for further details.
Annual Eurasian Food Security Conference
Annual conference. October 3-5, 2017 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Organized by the Eurasian Center for Food Security at Lomonosov Moscow State University (ECFS), World Bank Group, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Deadline to register for the conference is September 17, 2017.
Life in Kyrgyzstan
Annual conference. October 12-13, 2017 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Organized by Institute of Public Policy and Administration of the University of Central Asia (UCA), Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), International Security and Development Center (ISDC), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Deadline to submit papers is June 15, 2017. Deadline to register is September 15, 2017.
Archived issues of the news digest can be found on the Central Asia page under the ReSAKSS Asia website: http://resakss-asia.org/regions/central-asia. A link to the newsletter can be found under Blog Posts.
The articles included in this news digest have been generated from online sources. Any opinions stated herein are not representative of, or endorsed by, the International Food Policy Research Institute or its partners.
