The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Uzbekistan have signed a new agreement committing to more targeted, country-specific support for rural communities through 2030. The partnership aims to strengthen territorial development strategies, improve food safety and nutrition, enhance One Health surveillance, promote sustainable natural resource management, and address environmental risks and hazards affecting agriculture. The agreement is framed within the FAO–Uzbekistan Country Programming Framework for 2026–2030 and aligns with national priorities as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.
The agreement was formally signed by Viorel Gutu, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, and Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Agriculture, marking its official entry into force. FAO emphasized that the partnership is grounded in a shared commitment to making Uzbekistan’s agrifood sector more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, with the ultimate goal of improving livelihoods in rural areas and strengthening local economies across the country.
Uzbekistan, which became an FAO member in 2001 and hosts an FAO country office since 2014, faces unique agricultural challenges due to its double-landlocked geography and predominantly dry, mountainous terrain. Agricultural production is concentrated on limited irrigated and rainfed land, yet the sector remains a cornerstone of the national economy, contributing 19 percent of gross domestic product in 2024. Despite these constraints, Uzbekistan has made notable progress in food security and nutrition, as reflected in both international assessments and national data.
The agricultural sector continues to face pressures from climate change, environmental degradation, limited access to productive resources for rural women and youth, inefficiencies, changing trade patterns, and dependence on transboundary water systems. These internal and external challenges underline the need for stronger, more coordinated interventions to place Uzbekistan’s agrifood systems on a sustainable growth path.
Through the Country Programming Framework, FAO will support the government in advancing sustainable agricultural growth, climate resilience, rural development, and inclusive economic opportunities. The partnership prioritizes improved territorial development to reduce rural poverty and disparities, stronger food safety governance and nutrition policies, and enhanced One Health surveillance to protect public health. It also emphasizes integrated, climate-resilient management of land, water, and biodiversity, alongside better management of environmental risks related to plant protection, chemicals, waste, air and water quality, and disaster risk reduction.
FAO’s ongoing engagement in Uzbekistan is reflected in its 35 active projects covering a wide range of technical areas, including school meal programmes, agricultural statistics, digital agriculture, biodiversity conservation, integrated natural resource management, and One Health initiatives. These efforts provide a strong foundation for scaling up impact under the new agreement and supporting more resilient, equitable, and sustainable rural development by 2030.
