Reforms and Innovations Create a Solid Foundation for Sustainable Development of Agriculture in New Uzbekistan
It is difficult to imagine economic development in any country without a strong focus on agriculture. The well-being of citizens in every nation is directly linked to the progress of its agricultural sector. By advancing this sector, countries ensure the production of essential and health-beneficial products for their population and foster the development of processing systems. Moreover, agriculture creates additional job opportunities, particularly in rural areas.
In Uzbekistan, significant attention is being paid to the development of agriculture under the leadership of the President. The sector benefits from the integration of advanced international practices, science, and innovative technologies.
For instance, the Presidential Decree on October 23, 2019, approved the “Strategy for the Development of Agriculture in the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2020–2030” which outlined nine key priority areas for agricultural development.
Due to consistent reforms in the agricultural sector, 200,000–250,000 hectares of open fields designated for grain cultivation were sown using modern resource-saving seeders. Additionally, 50,000–60,000 hectares were leveled using laser technology.
In comparison to previous years, grain sowing for the 2023 harvest was completed 10–12 days earlier, achieving 4.8–5.5 million sprouts per hectare—500,000–600,000 more than in previous years.
To examine the numbers: in 2021, 6.656 million tons of total grain yield were produced. By 2023, due to the application of innovative solutions and scientific advancements, this figure rose to 7.123 million tons.
Furthermore, to fully meet domestic demand for rice, 141,000 hectares were sown with rice in 2023—35,000 hectares more than the previous year. Of this, 31,000 hectares (22%) were primary fields, and 110,000 hectares were secondary fields.
Given water scarcity issues, resource-saving and water-efficient technologies were prioritized in 2023 for rice cultivation. In the primary fields, 16,000 hectares were leveled with laser technology, 15,600 hectares were sown with modern seeders, and 29,500 hectares in secondary fields were cultivated using seedling methods. These technologies reduced water usage by up to 20% in laser-leveled fields, up to 35% in fields sown with seeders, and up to 30% in seedling-planted fields. Additionally, seed consumption for rice was reduced by up to 50%.
For the 2024 harvest, 139,300 hectares was planned for rice cultivation, including 39,600 hectares (28%) of primary fields and 99,800 hectares of secondary fields, with an expected yield of 49.2 centners per hectare and a total of 685,000 tons of rice.
Uzbekistan’s unique climate supports the natural growth of over 4,300 plant species, cultivated by farmers and agricultural enterprises across the country. Of these, 750 species are classified as medicinal, with 112 officially registered for use in scientific medicine and 70 actively utilized in the pharmaceutical industry.
Recognizing this potential, the agricultural sector has placed special emphasis on cultivating medicinal plants, ensuring their preservation, promoting rational use of natural resources, establishing cultivated plantations, and processing raw materials. These efforts have led to significant achievements in these areas.
The Presidential Decree dated May 20, 2022, “On Measures to Effectively Utilize the Raw Material Base of Medicinal Plants, Support Processing, and Create an Additional Value Chain”, alongside Resolution No. 251 “On Measures to Organize Cultivation, Processing, and Wider Use of Medicinal Plants in Treatment”, have become pivotal frameworks driving progress in this field.
Biotechnology is one of the fastest-growing scientific fields today, with Uzbekistan’s progress in this area closely tied to the Genomics and Bioinformatics Center under the Academy of Sciences. Presidential Resolution issued on November 25, 2020, “On Comprehensive Measures to Develop Biotechnologies and Improve the System for Ensuring Biological Safety of the Country,” marked a new era in the sector. The introduction of CRISPR technology enabled precise genome editing in plants, leading to the creation of biotechnological crops with improved traits. This innovation has allowed the development of new crop varieties that are safe for human health and the environment.
For example, in cotton cultivation, imported cotton varieties such as India’s Nech-6 and Nech-51, resistant to bollworm, and China’s XinLuZao-52 and XinLuZao-78, resistant to bollworm and herbicides, are being integrated into 13 local varieties. Field trials for these enhanced varieties will begin on a large scale in 2025.
I would like to clarify that, based on the results of molecular-genetic analyses the genetic purity of these imported varieties: XinLuZao-52 at 82%, XinLuZao-78 at 88%, and Chjuntay-2 at 89%. These levels exceed the 80% threshold considered optimal for high varietal quality.
By 2025, using gene-knockout and marker-assisted selection technologies, Uzbekistan aims to expand the cultivation of local biotechnological crop varieties resistant to drought, salinity, and wilt. For the specific soil and climate conditions of Karakalpakstan, new varieties – Matonat-1 and Matonat-2, resistant to drought, salinity, and cold—were developed based on the Eskimo gene. Similarly, the Fostua gene was used to create the Bardosh variety for Bukhara’s conditions, resistant to wilt.
In 2025, 4.5 tons of seeds from these varieties will be prepared for planting on 200 hectares. By 2026, seed production will increase to 90 tons for cultivation on 4,000 hectares.
Other notable developments include the Porloq-4 and Porloq-7 varieties, which are resistant to salinity, high-yielding, and produce long fibers, developed using the Phytochrome A1 gene. In 2025, 4.2 thousand tons of seeds from these varieties will be cultivated across 100,000 hectares.
Additionally, early-maturing, high-yielding varieties Genbio-7 and Genbio-8, developed using the HY5 and PhyB genes, will undergo state testing in 2025. Primary seed production will be organized on 10 hectares in the northern regions of the country.
A biotechnological wheat variety, BARKAMOL, resistant to drought and salinity, has recently been developed from the local species Triticum aestivum L.. By next year, 4 tons of seeds will be prepared for cultivation on 20 hectares. Similarly, a new potato variety, BISYOR, was developed from the local Solanum tuberosum L. species, with 10 tons of seeds planned for cultivation on 10 hectares.
To combat global climate change and reduce agricultural carbon emissions, especially from cotton plant residues (stalks and roots), new-generation gene-knockout lines that accumulate the slow-decomposing polymer suberin in roots and stalks are being tested. These innovations will further enhance the sustainability and environmental friendliness of Uzbekistan’s agricultural crops, contributing to a greener future.
Government Support for Farmers and Agricultural Clusters in Uzbekistan (2021–2024)
Over the past few years, Uzbekistan has introduced substantial support measures for farmers and agricultural clusters, including concessional loans, testing of agricultural machinery, staff training programs, efficient use of land and water resources, subsidies for adopting modern technologies, and leasing agricultural land. In addition to enhancing existing systems, 16 new information and geoinformation systems were launched to further streamline operations in the agricultural sector.
In recent years, a series of measures have been undertaken to establish agro-industrial clusters, support their operations, and further enhance their development. As a result, 671 agro-industrial clusters are now operational, facilitating deep processing, storage, and sale of agricultural products.
Between 2021 and 2024, six Presidential Decrees and nine Resolutions introduced new mechanisms to support entrepreneurship in sectors such as cotton production, grain cultivation, horticulture, livestock farming, and sericulture. These measures promote value chain creation, encourage free-market sales, and provide financial support to agricultural enterprises.
For example, under Presidential Decree on market-oriented reforms have improved economic and legal relationships between cotton-textile clusters and farmers. For the first time, raw cotton was introduced to exchange trading, enabling clusters to purchase 1.7 million tons of raw cotton through exchanges. Farmers also entered into futures contracts for the first time.
Additionally, the decree facilitated voluntary farmer cooperatives to strengthen collaboration. To support these efforts, Uzbekistan drafted the Law on “Agricultural Cooperatives”. This law ensures the legal framework for creating professional, democratically managed cooperatives, empowering agricultural enterprises to collaborate effectively.
Ensuring food security, creating a favorable agribusiness environment, enhancing value chains, attracting investments, and developing rural areas remain top priorities.
To achieve these goals, the Ministry of Agriculture collaborates with international organizations, including the International Development Association, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Asian Development Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. These partnerships have resulted in agricultural investment projects totaling $2.062 billion.
Between 2016 and 2023, these projects financed 2,671 initiatives worth $1.045 billion, creating over 50,978 new jobs.
To advance agricultural education and innovation, the National Center for Knowledge and Innovation in Agriculture, along with 13 regional Agro-Service Centers, was established under Presidential Decree and Resolution, dated February 3, 2021.
Today, Agro-Service Centers offer over 100 services in 17 areas through public enterprises and 18 additional modern services through the private sector.
From 2021 to 2023, these centers, in collaboration with researchers from the ministry’s scientific institutions, conducted more than 3,400 seminars and training sessions. Over 74,000 agricultural specialists participated, significantly enhancing their expertise.
