A two-year FAO initiative in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan has successfully supported smallholder farmers in adopting sustainable, productive, and climate-resilient agricultural practices. The project combined education, innovation, and technical support to address challenges in agricultural production, food security, nutrition, and environmental sustainability.
Funded through FAO’s Flexible Voluntary Contribution mechanism, the project strengthened farmers’ capacity to implement climate-smart technologies for priority fruit and vegetable crops, while also enhancing production and market development in the domestic vegetable seed sector. Farmers received practical training in crop production, value chain development, and farm management, alongside improvements in the technical and institutional capacity of national partner organizations.
Agriculture, particularly the fruit and vegetable sector, remains a cornerstone of livelihoods, employment, and national food security in both countries. The project, titled “Small farmers as agricultural innovators for resilient agrifood ecosystems,” was implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan, emphasizing education, innovation, and climate resilience.
The project’s achievements were highlighted at a high-level closing event on 10 December 2025 in Tashkent, which gathered government representatives, FAO, international organizations, development partners, financial institutions, and farmer cooperatives. The event featured exhibitions of organic and climate-resilient products, innovative solutions, women’s leadership initiatives, and technologies piloted at demonstration sites.
The initiative reaffirmed the crucial role of smallholder farmers, particularly women, in strengthening food security, enhancing climate resilience, and advancing sustainable agrifood systems in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
