DUSHANBE, April 29, 2016, Asia-Plus -- The World Bank survey Listening to Tajikistan (L2TJK), in particular notes that The share of households able to pay for enough food steeply declined to 53 percent in January, the lowest point yet measured, but recovered somewhat by March, reaching 61 percent.

Households also reported an increasing prevalence of reducing expenditure on food to pay for other basic needs peaking in January, and also showing signs of recovery by March.

The share of households selling assets to pay for basic needs has risen steadily since October, reaching more than 17 percent in March for the bottom 40 percent.

The share of households that reduced healthcare expenses to pay for basic needs began to recover between January and March, after having increased to nearly 44 percent in January.

Meanwhile, average per capita real income fell across all subgroups between November and March (urban, rural, bottom 40 percent and top 60 percent of the population), resulting primarily from declining remittances, and reduced self-employment and agricultural income over the winter season.  The decline began to level off in the last round of the survey, completed in March.

Since November 2015, average real per capita income fell by about 24 percent, but climbed slightly for the bottom 40 percent between January and March.

The share of household heads currently working within the country continued to decline over the winter months, but began climbing again from January to March, reaching nearly 45 percent.

Average remittance income fell in real terms between November and January for those households receiving them, but picked up slightly since January.  However, the share of households receiving remittances has continued an uninterrupted decline since November.  This is partially seasonal, but has also contributed to the continued decline in the share of households that received any income over the ten days preceding the interview.

Rolled out by the World Bank Poverty team, L2TJK monitors the impact of emerging trends throughout the country at high frequency. The survey rapidly clarifies the severity of the economic downturn, the evolution of vulnerabilities, and household responses to risk and deprivation over time.  The survey enables a focus on poorer and more vulnerable households, and generates evidence for targeted policy-making.