Illegal street races at night in Almaty, Kazakhstan; authorities identify and penalize popular influencers on social media
The Supreme Audit Chamber of Kazakhstan has recently released a report highlighting several issues within the country's food security sector. The report, which focuses on efficiency and resource allocation, reveals inefficient use of 66.2 billion tenge, with over 179 million tenge attributed to inefficient planning and allocation of budget funds.
The report also uncovers violations in the procurement of veterinary drugs, totalling over 396 million tenge. In response, the audited entities have recovered 4.4 billion tenge for state assets. However, it is worth noting that an automated system for accounting and controlling food stocks has yet to be implemented in Kazakhstan.
Moreover, the report points out that only 24 out of 101 border points in Kazakhstan are equipped with a phytosanitary control system. This lack of control could potentially impact the country's agricultural industry, especially considering that the self-sufficiency rate for major food products remains below 80%.
The report also sheds light on the insufficient practical application of scientific developments, which significantly slows down the modernization of the agricultural industry in Kazakhstan. This issue is compounded by systemic problems such as a lack of coordination between strategic documents and weak monitoring of food stocks within the agro-industrial complex.
In an effort to address these issues, the Supreme Audit Chamber has developed and sent a package of recommendations and instructions to the government of Kazakhstan and the audited organizations. While the specifics of these recommendations are not publicly available, general best practices often include enhancing monitoring and evaluation of food programs, increasing transparency and accountability in resource allocation, modernizing agricultural infrastructure, strengthening inter-agency coordination, and integrating climate-smart and sustainable agricultural practices.
For precise, official recommendations from Kazakhstan’s Supreme Audit Chamber, it is recommended to consult their official reports or government publications directly, as this specific information is not contained in the retrieved materials.
[1] Report on the Effectiveness of State Support for Kazakhstani Pharmaceutical Producers - Supreme Audit Chamber of Kazakhstan [2] Audit of the Food Security Sector - Supreme Audit Chamber of Kazakhstan [3] Recommendations for Improving the Efficiency of the Agro-Industrial Complex - Supreme Audit Chamber of Kazakhstan [4] General Best Practices for Enhancing Food Security - International Organizations [5] Food Security Legislation in the United States - Various Sources [6] Policy Coherence in Ireland's Agri-Food Sector - European Commission [7] Bilateral Agreements in Central Asia including Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan - Various Sources [8] Sustainable Agriculture Projects in Kazakhstan - International Organizations
- The inefficiency found in the food security sector of Kazakhstan was not limited to resource allocation, as the report also exposed violations within the procurement of veterinary drugs worth over 396 million tenge in the finance industry.
- Beyond the agriculture industry, the report underscores the significance of addressing systemic issues in sectors such as politics and business, which have been found to impinge on food security in Kazakhstan.
- Given the high level of self-sufficiency rate sought for major food products in the country, it is crucial to implement an automated system for accounting and controlling food stocks, as mentioned in general best practices. This move ties in with the modernization of the agricultural industry and the adoption of climate-smart and sustainable agricultural practices.
