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1PROBLEMS OF REGIONAL ECONOMIES (AGRICULTURE) IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE TRANSITION TO
A GREEN ECONOMY OF THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC
Aibashev Muratbek Zholdoshevich, Doctor of Economics, Osh State University [email protected]
Nizamiev Abdurashit Gumarovich, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor, Osh State University [email protected]
Abstract: The need for a transition to a green economy occurred due to the thoughtless and merciless exploitation of natural resources, without taking into account the future. Most of the former republics of the Union were characterized by excessive centralization, all resources were distributed and exploited by directives from the center. Decisions made without taking into account the local situation often cause dissatisfaction among the local population. And so it is obvious that when the economy is resource-based in nature, it leads to increased polarization by increasing the difference in the levels of well-being of the population between rich and poor and the living conditions of agglomerations and peripheries. Therefore, to ensure sustainable development of the region, aligning economic development in the future with the preservation of natural resources for future generations, fundamental steps are needed towards the transition to green forms of management. Research and scientific development are required to solve existing problems associated with careful treatment in the process of developing natural resources in the conditions of urbanization and fierce competition in the economy. But, at this stage, there is a shortage of scientific and theoretical materials to solve problems related to the development of the regional economy and the location of its facilities. There is also no close connection between scientific and industrial developments. In this situation, one of the ways to solve the existing problems of thoughtless exploitation of natural resources is the use of technologies and various forms of green economy management. Since the use of a green economy creates a respectful attitude towards nature, it makes it possible to improve local infrastructure towards the well-being of the population and its environment. It is known that the level of development of the regional economy determines the well-being of people and the level of development and location of production forces. The conservation of natural resources through the transition to a green economy will provide the state with sustainable development and equalization of regions in the development and distribution of social and economic resources.
Key words : green economy, population, regional economy, competitiveness, natural resources, infrastructure, sustainable development.
Introduction: The Kyrgyz Republic is a mountainous country within the Tien Shan and Pamir mountain systems, more than 90% of its agricultural land is located in places with altitudes above 1500 m above sea level. The country, by area standards, occupies relatively small territories, despite this it accounts for 0.13% of the world's land area, the available variety of flora is 2% and fauna 3% of the world's [Report, 2020:1].
The Republic is an agricultural country, about 65% of its population lives in rural areas, about 40% of the population is directly or indirectly involved in agricultural work. During the reforms in the 90s of the last century, land was distributed among the population living in rural areas. Circumstances developed in such a way that where a larger population lived, they received a smaller share of land plots, and in areas with smaller populations they received more plots. In the first years of market relations, people did not know what to do with the plots they received; they had no experience of how to act in conditions of independent management. Instead of large agro-industrial complexes, small farms arose, which, in order to survive, began to intensively exploit land plots, using unlimited quantities of chemicals and other means to obtain crops. Intensive human intervention in the process of exploitation of natural resources gradually leads to the degradation of agricultural land. Therefore,
taking into account the experience of advanced countries, the Kyrgyz Republic, with the intention of transitioning to a green economy, is gradually moving towards the use of advanced methods of exploitation of natural resources. For these purposes, regulations have been prepared and an algorithm for the sequence of measures taken has been compiled.
Literary review: At this time, the main goal of society is to ensure economic growth in order to improve the well-being of the population through the exploitation of natural resources, taking into account environmental protection. Preservation of the environment is a guarantor of the future of humanity. Finding new ways to develop society is an extremely important task for humanity. According to scientists and specialists of the Kyrgyz Republic, one of the directions, taking into account the above-mentioned problems, is the introduction and application of the green economy in the Kyrgyz Republic.
In this area, the works of the country's scientists should be noted, for example, A.A. Baimuratova, M.T. Zikiraeva , which talks about the need to create safe society and reorient all areas of production forces that reduce environmental risks. The environmental problems of Kyrgyzstan, which pose a threat to the future sustainable development of the country, are also considered. Therefore, for Kyrgyzstan, "green" economic development seems to be a more than promising vector for sustainable development in the long term (Baimratov, Zikriyayeva, 2020); T.I. Turdieva, where it is noted that the transition to the principles of a "green" economy is carried out in the conditions of market transformations aimed at building a socially oriented market economy. It has been shown that the strategy of stimulating and supporting business processes in traditional and promising industries is capable of "greening" economic growth and corresponds to the national interests of the country from the point of view of sustainable long-term balanced environmental and economic development (Turdiev, 2019).
Among foreign scientists, we note the following works: Patrik Soderholm, which notes that the green economy is an alternative vision of growth and development; one that can generate economic development and improve people's lives in ways consistent with improved environmental and social well-being. One of the important components of the green economy strategy is to promote the development and implementation of sustainable technologies (Soderholm, 2020:3,6); Lucien Georgeson . Mark Maslin . Martin Poessinouw. who note that over the past decade, green economics has emerged as an important policy framework for sustainable development in both developed and developing countries. It provides an attractive framework for creating more resource-efficient, lower-carbon, less environmentally damaging and more socially inclusive societies. There are tensions between competing green economy discourses, as well as a number of different definitions, each with serious shortcomings. The situation is further complicated by the different underlying concepts of "weak", "transformational" and "strong" green economies. Several important definitions focus on an ambitious "transformational green economy." To enable and monitor this "transformation", economic and environmental measurements are needed. Existing approaches are still in development, lack available data or do not fit proposed definitions, and therefore cannot contribute to either effective decision making or economic transformation efforts (Georgeson et.al, 2017).
Methodology: To solve environmental problems and issues of transition to a green economy, a new methodological approach is required. It should be based on covering all aspects of people's lives, aspects of the existence of nature. Accordingly, in the research process, a systematic approach, a dialectical approach, and approaches from the theory of sustainable development were used. Methods of analysis and synthesis, forecasting, grouping and comparison were used as the methodological apparatus of the study.
Results: Currently The authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic have been given the goal of ensuring the preservation of natural resources in their current state through careful treatment. Until now, the main slogan of humanity has been: "We will not wait for mercy from nature, take from it, that is our task." Thus, humanity's potential has been physically accumulated through excessive and merciless exploitation of natural resources. Currently, society is asking the question "what will happen next?" If this approach is maintained, it will lead to complete degradation of society (Conception, 2018).
Therefore, in achieving this goal it is necessary to solve the following tasks:
1. Conduct research on the existing load on the natural ecosystem;
2. Explore restorative abilities while maintaining the existing state of the ecosystem;
3. Inventory of the natural ecosystem and biological diversity;
4. Instilling and educating the population in a culture of caring for the natural ecosystem.
In the Kyrgyz Republic, in order to solve the assigned tasks, certain work is being carried out to prepare the regulatory framework for this problem. This is necessary to ensure sustainable economic development for the future. Since the irrational and ultra-intensive exploitation of natural resources, especially in the agro-industrial complex, gives rise to problems that need to be solved. Ill-conceived and short-sighted actions in relation to natural resources have led to a process of decreasing yields in crop production and a decrease in productivity and fertility in livestock farming. Disruption of the ecological balance, soil depletion and devastation of pastures can lead to threats in the future; these problems may become irreversible and cannot be solved.
Currently, the territory of Kyrgyzstan has the following land characteristics (Table 1).
Table 1 - Qualitative characteristics of land in Kyrgyzstan, t housand hectares.
Name Agricultural grounds Arable land
Thousand ha IN % Thousand ha IN %
Salted 1190.8 11.1 163.8 13.9
Solonetzic 480.2 4.5 99.3 8.2
Wetlands 138.6 1.3 14.6 1.2
Rocky 4021 37.5 346.7 28.8
Susceptible to wind erosion 5689.8 53.1 651.1 54.0
Susceptible to water erosion 5626.8 52.6 714.6 59.3
Source: NSC KR, "Agriculture" 2022
Studies of the qualitative composition of the soil show a reduction in the useful part of the soil humus to only 10-30%, this indicates that the soil is depleted and the beneficial qualities of the soil (fertility) are lost. The fertile soil of the land is gradually decreasing, due to intensive, ill-considered exploitation, they are subject to such phenomena as solonetsity, salinization, waterlogging, rockiness, are subject to wind erosion, and are also subject to water erosion. It is necessary to carry out research and practical work to reduce these phenomena, especially erosion caused by wind and water.
Globally, many scientists are conducting and have conducted research on this topic. The impact of human activity on the environment is more relevant than ever; the technogenic environment, where human activity spreads, gives rise to negative phenomena. An imbalance in the environment, which leads to negative phenomena, occurs due to the expansion of the area of the technogenic environment due to the conquest of the natural environment. Thus, all this has a negative impact on nature, polluting the environment, depleting natural resources, destroying and upsetting the balance in the ecological system of nature, creating a real threat to human life and health, animal and plant life. The impact on the external environment, on atmospheric air, water resources and objects due to the emergence of foci of pollution or pollutants as a result of human activity, is very noticeable.
Environmental protection in our understanding is a set of measures for conservation and rational use with further restoration of natural resources, flora and fauna, mineral wealth, purity of water, and air atmosphere. Also, nature is the source of existence for humanity. Humanity must acquire skills in its activities to preserve the natural state of nature, as well as to optimally support the ongoing processes of the circulation of substances and energy flows. Man as a biological species does not differ in its influence on nature from other biological species. But the work carried out by man has a transformative effect on nature, and this process intensifies as human society develops.
The changes that humanity has made to natural phenomena in recent years have acquired such a large scale that there is a threat to the existing balance of nature. Until now, nature has been viewed as an inexhaustible source of natural resources. This approach is gradually leading humanity to negative consequences and creating problems in the development of productive forces. Therefore, humanity, faced with the negative consequences of its impact on nature, is gradually becoming convinced of the need to optimize the use of natural resources.
The protection of one object should not harm another object; it is necessary to strictly take into account local conditions when using natural resources, especially for water and forest natural objects. In recent years, there has been an increasing shortage of fresh water, although water resources are considered inexhaustible on a global scale. Excess water in other places does not mean there are no water problems in dry areas.
Also, human activity is reflected in the habitat of animals; the same animals in one region need strict protection, but in another region, with a high population, hunting is possible. Intensive consumption of natural resources without taking into account the future is destructive for humans. Taking into account the differences between regions, in one region there is an abundance of this resource, in another region there is a shortage of this resource. Therefore, each region must use an approach that takes into account the characteristics and differences between regions.
In the Kyrgyz Republic there are a number of legal acts devoted to this topic. The collection of regulatory legal acts contains Codes and Laws devoted to environmental protection, which describe in detail the basic rules for the exploitation of natural resources in the development and deployment of productive forces. As you know, since the republic is an agricultural country, issues of careful treatment of pastures are important.
Also, the characteristics of agricultural land are influenced by the number of livestock, the load of cattle, sheep and goats, horses per 100 hectares of agricultural land for a certain year, for example, for 2021 (Fig. 1).
Fig.l. Load of cattle, sheep and goats, horses per 100 hectares of agricultural land for 2021
Source: NSC Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic. 2022 -WITH. 87-89.
Pastures are used not only for grazing, but also play an important role in storing hay for the winter. For example, the yield of hayfields in the summer pastures of the republic is 25 centners, if we compare these indicators with other countries: in the hayfields of France 45-55 centners, the Netherlands -120 centners, Denmark - 90 centners per 1 hectare of land. These indicators prove that there are significant shortcomings in the use of agricultural land.
The only entity that can effectively coordinate actions in the implementation of a green economy for the sake of preserving the country's natural resources is the state. In the Kyrgyz Republic, in 2018, the Green Economy Concept entitled "Kyrgyzstan is a country of green economy" was adopted, and the Green Economy Development Program in the Kyrgyz Republic for 2019-2023 was developed. According to the adopted regulatory acts, the green economy in the Kyrgyz Republic has become a model of economic development that assumes a responsible attitude of people to resources. It is aimed at finding a reasonable compromise between economic growth and the conservation of natural resources, that is, wealth (Conception, 2018).
When transitioning to a green economy, it is necessary to take into account the presence of the majority of the population in rural areas, at a time when the agro-industrial complex provides only 15% of added value to the country's GDP. Full monitoring of degraded agricultural land was carried out in 1985, the last monitoring in 1990. Since then, erosion processes, salinization and waterlogging, desertification, and flooding have greatly reduced the biological productivity of the republic's lands. All this is aggravated by the lack of crop rotation in most farms, with the small size of agricultural land, which leads to intensive exploitation and uncontrolled use of fertilizers and chemicals, leading to accelerated degradation of agricultural land. 90% of the available water reserves consumed by the economy of surface water reserves are used for irrigation. All these data explain the reason for low yields and productivity in agriculture. In the livestock sector, the consumption of biostimulants of synthetic origin and antibiotics is very often recorded in order to increase livestock productivity, thereby creating threats to human health.
Let's consider the dynamics of growth in crop yields in the Kyrgyz Republic (Table 2).
Table 2 - Productivity of main agricultural crops, centners per 1 ha
Name 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Comparative growth in 2021 compared to 2017, %
Corn 30.6 31.3 32.1 32.3 22.9 -25.1
incl. wheat 24.1 24.3 25.1 25.5 14.5 -39.8
Barley 22.0 22.4 22.7 23.5 12.5 -43.1
Oats 24.2 23.1 20.5 21.4 9.7 -59.9
Corn 63.3 64.9 66.1 67.1 64.3 1.5
Millet 21.5 21.5 22.4 20.4 12.9 -40
Rice 35.1 35.3 36.0 36.7 36.8 4.8
Pulses 17.4 17.2 17.4 17.3 14.1 -18.9
Buckwheat 8.5 22.1 10 16.9 8.9 4.7
Sugar beet 411.6 475.4 514.8 533.9 358.3 -12.9
Oilseeds 11.5 11.8 11.9 12.2 10.5 -8.6
Cotton 31.8 32.4 32.8 33.4 34.8 9.4
Tobacco 24.9 25.2 24.4 26.5 25.3 1.6
Potato 168.0 168.8 171.3 171.8 170.4 1.4
Vegetables 194.8 197.6 198.7 200.1 193.3 -0.7
Food melons 218.9 218.0 220.6 222.8 203.9 -6.8
Fruits and berries 49.3 50.7 57.9 52.3 50.2 1.8
Grape 17.5 18.1 18.3 19.0 16.5 -5.7
Source: NSC KR, "Agriculture" 2022
As can be seen from this table, the characteristics of the dynamics of changes in the growth of agricultural crop production for the main items mostly have negative indicators compared to 2017. If some positions on manufactured products have positive indicators, then they have insignificant values. One of the main crops that directly affects the food security of the state, the indicators for wheat are too disappointing; the decrease in yield compared to 2017 in 2021 is 25.1%. Therefore, work is being carried out to prevent land degradation and restore land that has gone out of use due to the effects of salinization and waterlogging as part of the implementation of a green economy.
Understanding of the principles of transition to a green economy by citizens of the republic is a determining factor in the successful transition to a green economy. It is necessary to carry out work to develop the key skills of the 21st century among the population - green thinking. It explains the reasons for the fragility of the natural environment and the limited nature of natural resources. Increasing the psychology of society's responsibility to future generations for preserving the human environment [Development program 2019-2023].
It is also necessary to take into account the integration of the country into the system of the world community; everyone already understands that climate disasters are reflected in the regions in all countries, regardless of their condition; therefore, these problems must be investigated and studied on an international scale. Preventive measures must be taken to counter large-scale problems, together with the countries of the region.
Intended results: It is necessary to establish a close connection between the Secretariat of the Convention to Combat Desertification, the Global Environment Facility, the Green Climate Fund, and donor countries to attract logistical and financial assistance and direct these funds to restore degraded agricultural lands. Taking into account market relations using marketing concepts, it is necessary to develop the land market in order to increase the efficiency of land use and increase labor productivity.
In order to effectively use irrigation water, there is a need to reduce irrigation systems that harm natural resources and the environment and to finance forms of subsidizing tariffs for the supply of irrigation water by these irrigation systems.
Also, as part of the application of green economy technologies, in order to conserve irrigation water, it is expected to reduce losses during inter-farm and on-farm transportation of irrigation water by restoring irrigation systems, canals, trays and ditches. It's time to widely introduce modern irrigation methods - discrete, drip and spray. Through gradual measures taken, we are switching to non-traditional irrigation methods, abandoning traditional methods of surface irrigation, which require large amounts of water resources, leading to flooding and degradation of agricultural land.
When exploiting pastures and other resources, it is necessary to take into account the recreational capabilities of natural resources, taking into account the preservation of areas intended for recreation and tourism in the regions. We should carry out work to attract tourists to them, use financial resources for the further development of tourism infrastructure there.
As part of the transition to a green economy, the following measures are necessary to effectively combat problems arising from natural and man-made disasters:
- taking into account the natural and climatic conditions of the regions and the nature of the farming zone, introduce specialization of the country's regions for the production of a specific type of agricultural crop;
-creation of specialized agricultural zones that provide environmentally friendly products and gradually increase their production volumes;
-stimulate the development of the processing industry and especially the primary processing of agricultural products;
-creation of a certification system for environmentally friendly products, development of national labeling systems.
Reference
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