Ensuring food security of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the context of COVID-2019

Abstract

The goal is to consider the issues of ensuring food security of the Republic of Kazakhstan and ways of solution. Food policy is the basis of national security and an important direction for the development of agricultural sector of the economy, the essence of which is to increase the level of economic growth, which makes it possible to maximally satisfy the urgent needs of the population and have sufficient public reserves, active payments and trade balances. Objectives – to show the need to increase the competitive advantages of food products on domestic market, as well as to create a domestic brand of goods. Results – The profound impact of COVID-2019 on food systems has been analyzed, which for a variety of reasons has threatened people's access to food worldwide. It was revealed that in the conditions of the Eurasian Economic Union, the development of interstate integration, implementation of a single food issue and measures to ensure food security, important aspect is maintaining the balance of interests of the common market for agricultural products and protecting the sovereignty of the EAEU member States. The article analyzes production of the main types of agricultural products in Kazakhstan (1990-2020), the level of self-sufficiency in the country in meat, milk, eggs, potatoes, vegetables and melons, etc. The dynamics of changes in livestock population, as well as the growth of production of meat in the republic and the world, food consumption per capita is presented. The authors provide data in terms of comparison of agricultural output in the EAEU countries. The volumes of export of Kazakhstani grain and flour are indicated. In the final part of the article, perspective directions of ensuring food stability in the Republic of Kazakhstan are considered. Conclusions – to ensure the country's food independence, it is necessary to pursue a policy of import substitution, use preferential micro-lending, and develop foreign trade activities from narrowly oriented exports to diversification of goods.