At the forum "Agrodialog-2026," Manas Samatov, the head of "Gardens Consulting," expressed dissatisfaction with outdated management methods in the agricultural sector. He emphasizes that Kyrgyzstan needs to reassess its priorities: attention should be focused not on abstract "food security," but on the real incomes and quality of life of rural residents.
“We continue to adhere to outdated views, considering agriculture only as a means of ensuring food security. Meanwhile, it is important to understand that the main focus should be on improving the lives of people living in rural areas. The countryside is not just 'food suppliers,' but millions of citizens for whom work should be profitable and attractive,” Samatov stated.
According to the expert, mass migration from villages to cities is a consequence of low incomes in the regions. The country's social problems begin where labor does not provide for a family. Samatov sees the solution in transitioning to the cultivation of high-yield crops, as well as in abandoning the system where farmers work "for the country" on a residual basis. Each rural household should have a stable source of income, rather than just meeting "planned norms."
Manas Samatov describes the old views that compel farmers to "provide for the country" as a bureaucratic anachronism. He argues that if farmers become financially independent, many social problems will resolve themselves. In such a situation, the need for "empty directives" regarding export or import bans, which merely demonstrate a lack of understanding of business logic on the part of officials, will disappear.
“Protecting the interests of the country should be done through regulation and transparent mechanisms, not through prohibitions. If apples or meat are produced in Kyrgyzstan, these industries need to be protected, farmers supported, rather than obstructed. Imports and exports should be free, prices balanced, and farmers' labor adequately compensated,” noted the head of "Gardens Consulting."
As a negative example, he cited problems in the meat industry: restrictions on livestock exports forced many farmers to leave the business due to unprofitability, which, in turn, led to price increases for consumers. This is a harsh lesson for the government: business cannot be banned; conditions for its development must be created.
The development strategy for Kyrgyzstan should be both social and economic. The countryside must become a source of income for millions, not just a raw material base. The expert believes that only when labor on the land becomes profitable will migration to cities cease, and the agricultural sector will become a true engine of the economy.
