DUSHANBE, January 5, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- In 2009, the government should start drastic reforms in the agrarian sector if Tajikistan is to meet targets on food security, the head of the National Association of Political Scientists of Tajikistan Abdughani Mamadazimov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, these reforms should not seem as instructions for banks to fund one or another sector.  “We have heard about agricultural reforms for already 17 years, however, heads of farming units still remain the most respectful persons in rural districts that is evidence that we have not yet gone so far from the time of state and collective farms, just renaming them association of dehqon (peasant) farms,” Mamadazimov said.

“Deep structural reforms are in the future,” said Mamadazimov, “We should take land from “heads of collective farms” and divide it among farmers that work in the fields; otherwise, they will remain “the most respectful persons” for another ten years” and productivity of agricultural crops will continue to fall.”

He is sure that only real master of land -- farmer by birth – may change the situation in the agrarian sector to the better.  “Moreover, no considerable financial assistance of the government and commercial banks to the agrarian sector is expected this year,” the political scientist said, noting that under conditions of the ongoing global financial crisis banks themselves need financial support.