A changing landscape: Plots, crops, infrastructure, and livestock in the Khatlon Province

When Tajikistan was part of the former Soviet Union, farming was collectivized. But soon after gaining its independence in 1991, the country embarked on a set of reforms intended to de-collectivize agriculture. Over 90% of this landlocked country is mountainous, leaving relatively little room for agricultural land. Yet the agricultural sector is Tajikistan’s largest employer. Efforts to develop the sector have often focused on predominantly rural Khatlon Province, historically the country’s poorest region.