On the right track but not there yet: From poverty reduction to prosperity in Khatlon Province, Tajikistan

Tajikistan, the poorest country in Central Asia, is making significant efforts to spur economic growth and improve the well-being of its people. The national economic strategy aims to increase domestic incomes by 2 to 3.5 times between 2016 and 2030 and includes a number of structural reforms and targeted development programs; the country moved from low income to lower-middle income status in 2021.

Many of these economic development efforts have focused on the Khatlon Region, a predominantly rural area in Tajikistan’s southwest. How has the welfare of the people of Khatlon changed over the past decade with respect to infrastructure and living conditions, food security and dietary intake, and poverty? Which factors are associated with changes in poverty?