Approximately 26 percent of Kyrgyzstan’s population lives below the poverty line. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) report, Kyrgyz Republic Country Brief, March 2026, says.
According to the study, more than 41 percent of the country’s residents cannot afford adequate nutrition, and 75 percent are forced to resort to negative coping strategies, such as taking on debt or cutting healthcare costs.
The situation is most severe in Batken region, where the poverty rate exceeds 40 percent.
Malnutrition remains a pressing issue: 21 percent of children under five are diagnosed with anemia.
Despite high economic growth, food security in the country remains vulnerable. Among the reasons for this are dependence on migrant remittances, low agricultural self-sufficiency, rising food and fuel prices, and climate risks.
The report emphasizes that Kyrgyzstan, 93 percent of territory of which is mountainous, is susceptible to natural hazards, including mudflows.
