State Statistics Committee: 6.3% of the population in Uzbekistan experienced food shortages in 2018

A draft presidential decree “On approving the strategy for development of agriculture in the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2020-2030” has been published on the portal of discussing draft normative-legal acts. 

Appendix No.1 of this draft document states that in 2018, 6.3% of the population in Uzbekistan experienced food shortages. During the preparation of the document, developers studied the figures presented by the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the State Statistics Committee.

Reportedly, as of July 1, 2019, the resident population of Uzbekistan amounted to 33,523,600 people and, since the beginning of the year, increased by 268,100 people, or 0.8%. It turns out that in 2018 in Uzbekistan, 2,111,986 people experienced food shortages.

According to the draft decree, by 2021, the state intends to reduce this figure to 5% and by 2025 - 3%. Moreover, by 2030, Uzbekistan intends to completely eradicate food shortages.

In addition, in 2018, the prevalence of stunted growth in children under 5 years old was 10%. By 2021, the state intends to reduce this figure to 7% and by 2025 - 5%.