Elite Vegetable Garden - a Do or a Don’t?

Food security is an actual problem rumored by Kyrgyzstan for more than a year. The president of the country Kurmanbek Bakiev turned out to be a prophet when called people to cultivate vegetable gardens instead of organizing protest actions in September 2006.

The news agency “24.kg” decided to inquire who gave an ear to the country’s leader advice.

Tursunbek Akun, Kyrgyz ombudsman:

I hear it from you for the first time. But I fully support such initiative, as every square foot of Kyrgyz land worth its weight in gold. Therewith we have so pure air and clean water. I always receive evidence of it returning from abroad. Actuality of the problem is also specified by the fact that the amount of ecologically clean food constantly decreases in the republic.

Tashboo Jumagulov, chief of the Kyrgyz National Commission on the state language development:

I am not good at politics… As for me, half of my eight-hundred-square-meter garden is planted with vegetables and fruits. My family does not buy strawberry, tomatoes, cucumbers at the markets for many years. This year I wait for first apples from some apple trees, planted four years ago. I together with my grandchildren keep our household and recommend our countrymen to follow my example.

Jyldyz Joldosheva, director of  Kurmanjan Datka Charity Foundation:

I think president’s idea is great, as Kyrgyzstan has so many opportunities in this sphere. Unfortunately, the specially established Agriculture Production Corporation is keeping silence for some reasons. We do not hear its ideas and proposals. Kyrgyzstan has opportunity to gather apricots three times a year. Not to mention apples, nuts and grapes. And what a tasty meat we have in the republic! Development of agriculture is a complicated but solvable process. We just need to apply all our power and skills. On my piece of land I use only natural fertilizers, no chemicals. That is why I get good harvest.

Kanatbek Isaev,  mayor of Tokmak city, Chui region:

There are no agricultural areas in our city. Though there are some territories which where allocated for construction of industrial enterprises in Soviet times. Lately the city administration decided to hand them over to the city residents for temporal usage as vegetable gardens. I think that at the time of tenders we will set such requirement as retaining of the initial state of the land in order to avoid use of chemicals.

Ainura Kenjebaeva, member of the Kyrgyz Parliament:

Unfortunately I have no land, as I live in a multiple apartment building. But being agronomist I often meet with farmers and see what they need. As to legislature I was among authors of the bill which bans import of the poor quality goods in the country. Also we are working out a draft bill banning import of meat from China as there are some suspicions that the meat is harmful for the consumers. Kyrgyz farmers themselves are interested in production of ecological goods.

Kanybek Osmonaliev, chief of the State Agency on Religious Affairs under the Kyrgyz government:

The idea is good strategically. It is necessary to take care of the people. I know what threat genetically modified products represent. And I am somehow surprised by passivity of the Kyrgyz State Patent Service which had to work out the list of necessary documents to take control over the sphere. As to my family, we cultivate potatoes on our six hundred square meters. Other goods we buy at the markets. I charge my spouse – a medical worker with this task.