The Eurasian Wheat Belt and Food Security

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This book offers a thorough analysis of wheat production developments in the Eurasian region and evaluates its potential role in enhancing both domestic and international food security. It explores the agricultural sector's policy and institutional advancements, focusing on horizontal issues crucial for future growth in wheat production, including land policy, credit and finance, privatization, farm restructuring, and environmental challenges. With a global population projected to rise from around seven billion to nearly 10 billion by 2050, food security is increasingly pressing. The two primary strategies for achieving necessary food production growth are expanding cultivated land or improving crop yields and total factor productivity. The “Eurasian wheat belt,” which includes Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Central Asian countries (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan), is notable for its substantial uncultivated arable land and rising agricultural productivity, positioning it as a key area for future agricultural growth. This potential necessitates a comprehensive examination of Eurasia’s prospects for food production, particularly wheat, and its contributions to both regional and global food security.