Here in the United States, the world's largest and in many ways most dynamic economy, everyday we open the morning papers lately just to see one more sign that our economy is in trouble; credit crisis, stimulus packages, unemployment, gas/oil prices, food prices, a movie in New York City costs $12.00! America is not alone as the nations of Central Asia face an even more dire situation. Even though some of their governments are reaping the rewards of ever-climbing energy prices, all are suffering from a weak world economy, less foreign investment in areas beyond energy, a harsh winter, and rising inflation, especially in regards to food. Here are two stories that showcase the difficult times for the region's citizens.
A. Locust Invasion– Moroccan locusts have flown into the region from Afghanistan all the way to Kazakhstan and are making an already tenuous food situation much worse. Locusts affect crops in the region every year, but this year is worse than usual and when combined with a harsh winter that took a toll on farm and livestock productive and already high food prices, the region's poor will most likely suffer even more. This insect invasion also portrays a region largely without the resources to combat such an occurrence, as most of the CA states cannot afford pesticides which could curb some of the locusts damage.
Infestation Statistics (estimated)
Tajikistan – 220,000 hectares of farmland
Kyrgyzstan – 50,000 hectares
Kazakhstan – 200,000 hectares
Uzbekistan – no reported damage
Afghanistan/Iran – damage, but level unknown
Farangis Najibullah reports for Radio Free Europe on the region's failure to provide adequate employment/careers for its college graduates. The story starts with the story of Mirodil, an Uzbek who graduated from high school and immediately became a migrant worker in Kazakhstan because of the lack of opportunity in his home province Andijon. Najibullah reports that though many CA states have built or opened universities recently, the number of high school graduates enrolling in them has dropped every year. For instance, in Uzbek's Samargand Province, only 12% of their high school grads applied to university. The main impediment for this is the fact that many college graduates in the region fail to find professional employment in their respected fields and a sufficient salary to go along with it. Therefore, citizens are choosing not to pay the exam fees (corrupt bribes) and spend years in the classroom, and instead are finding construction, farming, and market jobs in comparatively wealthy Russia or Kazakhstan. It is easier said than done, but these states need to find jobs for these educated citizens.
