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AGRICULTURAL
REFORMS»:
AGRICULTURAL
SYSTEMTOBE
DIGITALIZED
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Jamshid KHODJAEV,
Minister ofAgriculture ofthe Republic of Uzbekistan
Agriculture is an important sector of the Uzbek economy, accounting for 28.5% of GDP. There are working about 4.2 million people work, which is more than 30% of the total employmentinthecountry.
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The main agricultural crops аrе cotton and grain, but the abolition of quotas and price controls in 2020-2021 will require а gradual transition to crop diversification and the cultivation of other crops, fruits and vegetables.
Exports of agricultural products in 2019 accounted for about 9.8% of Uzbekistan's external income.
Today, implementation of large-scale reforms in the field of agriculture and food industry in the country opens the door to new opportunities for further expansion and diversification of agriculture and food industry.
Thegovernmentbelieves that the ongoing reforms, the introduction of new technologies to increase the value of domestic and export products, including resource-saving technologies, and the further development of packaging will increase the
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efficiency of agriculture. In this regard, it is planned to develop the country's textile sector, improve the value chain.
According to forecasts, due to the introduction of scientific and innovative ideas, the production of fruits, vegetables, potatoes, legumes and oilseeds will increase annually by 6-8%, meat by 16%, milk by 13%, eggs by 27%, fish will double, honey production by 30%. The level of processing of fruits and vegetables will increase to 15%, meat from 9 to 15%, milk from 14 to 18%.
Strategy priorities
According to the «Strategy for Agricultura 1 Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2020-2030», nine areas are priorities. ln particular, according to the Strategy, the following growths will be achieved by 2030:
Ensuring food
security of the population. ln a short period of time, the «malnutrition index» in Uzbekistan fell from 15% to 2.4%, becoming one of the best results in the region.
lmproving the agribusiness environment and creating value chains.
Reducing state participation in industry and increasing investment attractiveness.
Ensuring rational
Reforms in Practice
use of natural resources and protection of the environment.
Development of a modern system of public administration.
Diversify government spending to support the sector.
Development of the system of agricultural science, education,
information and consulting services.
Development of rural areas.
Development of a transparent system of industrial statistics.
Currently, work is underway in all regions of the country to develop agricultural knowledge, servicesand innovationson the basis of a new flexible modern AKIS system and multifunctional centres created within it. ln these extension centres, farmers will begin to receive agricultural services, use
mobile laboratories, and participate in educational activities. Producers of domestic and foreign goods and services for agriculture will have the opportunity to directly demonstrate their
products, as well as consult with their target audience. There are demonstration-experimental areas in the AKIS infrastructure, where it is possible to study, test and demonstrate agricultural technologies. ln 2022-2026, centres will be established in all regions and large districts, providing more than 100 agricultural services.
Much attention is paid to the digitization of agriculture, as well as the widespread introduction of technologies for the rational use of water and land resources, as well as the provision of various benefits, subsidies and loans under the «smart agriculture» program. For example, a moisture-
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AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
lEVHOPMENT STRATEGY
AssusasÊ •
ffiewlume of agricultural production. tln soums Thevolume of industrial production per cap ta. mil soums
249.8
148.2
115.6
Source Stata Statistics Committee
2017
2018
2Q1S
2016
loving сrор such as rice wi11 be grown by seed in 2026 in all replanted areas. Since this year, as an experiment, irrigation and drip irrigation of this crop have been introduced, and planting of rice seedlings in the machine has been introduced.
Great attention is also paid to the development of new lands and the return of lands which were out from agricultural turnover, improving the quality of agricultural lands. ln general, by 2026, it is expected that about 900,000 hectares of agricultural land will be the ones put into circulation, 1.2 million hectares will be the lands where water-saving technologies have been introduced, including 445,000 hectares of drip irrigated lands. ln 20222026, productivity will also increase in cotton and grain crops. Although crop areas are declining, their
productivity will increase.
It should be noted that based on the development of local research capacity, as well as the development of foreign expertise, seed production is developing in Uzbekistan, the active introduction of new varieties resistant to various externalfactors and climate change has begun. ln the coming years, it is planned to establish 53 elite seed farms, allocating them 5,000 hectares of agricultural land. A modern system of export of agricultural seeds will be created under the national brand «Uzbek seeds». Leading foreign experts (Turkey, the Netherlands, Israel and other countries) will be involved to strengthen the selection process.
From clustering to digitization
Development of the cluster and cooperation system with the help of
modern infrastructure and advanced technologies is one of the priorities in agriculture. This system provides a complete production chain from the field to the consumer. The production chain «From field to table» is being built on the basis of cluster production facilities, agro-logistics centres and cooperatives, creating new opportunities to increase exports.
Particular attention is paid to increasing the income of producers due to the high productivity in the clusters. ln 2016-2020, as a result of scientific and innovative achievements and the introduction of clusters of advanced technologies, the yield of cotton increased from 26.4 dt / ha to 30 dt / ha, grain yield from 57.8 dt / ha to 63.5 dt / ha. The material benefits of producers increased by 1.5 times, the average monthly salary per employee increased by 2.4 times compared to 2018. Over the past 3 years, more than 152,000 new jobs have been created on the basis of clusters in the regions.
In 2018-2020, $1.4 billion worth investments were attracted to create a value chain for clusters. ln 2019-2020, intensive orchards were planted on 10.8 thousand hectares and vineyards on 19.7 thousand hectares. Water-saving technologies
were introduced on 250
thousand hectares and resource-saving modern equipment was introduced on 1.5 trillion hectares of land.
To date, 463 agro-cluster activities have been launched in all areas of agriculture (cotton-textile, grain, fruit and vegetable, rice, etc.). The clusters are covering 2.2 million hectares of agricultural lands. This year, there will be implemented 270 investment projects on organizing the cotton processing totalling 25.5 trillion soums, 63 projects on fruit and vegetable production worth 589 billion soums, 122 projects on grain production worth 1 trillion 164 billion soums.
Extensive work is being carried out in Uzbekistan on the active development of the digital economy, as well as the introduction of modern information and communication
technologies in various sectors of the economy, including agriculture. ln particular, in December last year, the «Strategy for the development of smart agricultural technology» and «Action Plan for the implementation
of the strategy for the development of smart agricultural technology in 2021-2023» were approved, which provides for 3 main areas: digitization of agriculture, automation of water resources management, monitoring
Reforms in Practice
and accounting processes; support for business start-up projects in the agricultural sector. At the same time, a special complex responsible for the development of digitalization of agriculture, introduction of modern information technologies and software products in the field of agriculture and food security has been established within the Central Office of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Promising projects are the backbone of development
It should be noted that by the end of the year there will be launched 9 information systems aimed at simplifying business activities in the agro-industrial complex, assistingincommunication with government agencies in various matters, including getting access to interactive services.
In particular, one of
the largest projects is the launch of the Ministry of Agriculture's own geographic information platform. It is planned to launch the system in test mode by November 2021.
Based on artificial intel I igence technologies, especially satellite imagery and other materials obtained by drones, this system allows to determine the optimal time for planting or harvesting, calculate fertilizer
schemes, monitor, predict crop yields, detect diseases in them and more.
The next major project is the creation of a single integration platform forthe agro-industrial complex,
which will integrate the work processes of about 20 ministries and departments. The project is funded by the World Bank.
The result of the work in 2022 will be the launch of an agricultural platform
E9 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
2017-2021
/WE3Z3ÊÊ ¿M3MB&
Grain, mil tons 8.3 7.3 6.5 7,4 7.6
...... Cotton, mil tons 3.0 2.9 2.3 2.7 3.1
^^ Potatoes, mil tons 2.8 2.8 2.9 3.1 3.1
> Vegetables mil tons 10.2 10.2 9.8 10.2 10.4
Cucurbits. mll tons 2.0 2.0 1.8 2.1 2.1
Fruits and berry crops, mll tons 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.8
^^ Grapes, miltans 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6
@ Meat (live vwlght). mil tons 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.5
a Milk.miUons 9.7 10.0 10.5 10.7 11.0
^ Eggs.bn pcs 6.2 6.3 7.5 7.8 7.8
Source State Statistics Committee
in the form of а 'single window', where farmers can get all the services and information, they need for their activities online.
Currently, another
large software package «Agroplatform» is
being developed, which is scheduled to be launched by the end of November 2021. The purpose of creating this platform is to strengthen the discipline of the contract, the implementation of mutual settlements between service providers in the agro-industrial complex, farms and dehkan farms. Through integration
of databases of more than twenty ministries and departments, the processes of document management and online financial services are automated.
Also, work is underway to launch in a trial mode the electronic agro-industrial trading portal
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- «Marketplace». The main audience of the portal is expected to be farmers, agricultura I producers, largeclusters,agro-logistics centres, processors, small and large trade networks. The system is scheduled to launch in January 2022.
Another important project is the creation of a single state information system for allocation of subsidies in the agricultural sector. As the system modules are phased in, it will enable farmers to receive 18 types of subsidies, as well as to track their targeted use. The state provides subsidies to support farmers in the purchase of agricultural machinery, the use of water-saving technologies, the creation of vineyards and intensive orchards, the development of animal husbandry and many other areas.
Another project is related to ensuring the
accounting of imported agricultural machinery. To this end, an information system is being developed where importers and manufacturers do not have to travel long distances to apply for testing or certification of imported / manufactured products. Individual participation in the application process is minimized and maximum transparency is ensured.
The main purpose of the introduction of information systems is to digitize agriculture to ensure technological progress in the agro-industrial complex, strengthen
food security, effective management of water resources and increase productivity in agricultural enterprises.
Prospects for Organic Agriculture
In 2019, the publication of the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and the International Federation of Action for Organic Agriculture (IFOAM) on global organic agriculture statistics
included the Republic of Uzbekistan to the list of 10 countriesoftheworld which have favourable conditions for fruit production and have suitable lands for cultivation of organic fruits.
Today, organic
agriculture is a global trend. According to experts, the global organic products market has grown by an
average of 15 percent over the past 5 years, and there is forecasted the trade turnover of $212 billion in 2022 (20 percent of world agricultural production).
This practice has a special place in the history of agriculture of our country. The traditional culture of vegetable and horticulture, formed over the centuries, is based on the principles of biological farming, which involves the use of natural fertilizers. This allows the cultivation of organic (environmentally friendly) fruits and vegetables with high nutritional value, unique taste and consumption characteristics without the use of gene modification technology.
Today, the republic has all the conditions for the development of organic agriculture: crop fields not contaminated with toxic substances; increase the income of the population through the export of organic products grown on farms; increase employment through the development of agro-cluster production, logistics and cooperation systems in organic production; analysis of the quality of agricultural products through the improvement of laboratories, control and certification systems; areas free from genetically modified organisms
(GMOs)
Reforms in Practice
By 2025, it is planned to cultivate 5% of Uzbekistan' s cotton fields with organic cotton. lt should be noted that organic cotton is more expensive than usual. ln particular, in 2019, l ton of raw cotton in the US market was valued at $225, while conventional cotton was sold at $155.
ln conclusion, it should be noted once again that the potential for the development of agricultural production in Uzbekistan is traditionally very high in terms of
cultivation and application of new innovative formats and technologies. After all, the reforms being carried out today are aimed at the full development of the existing
potential, increasing
the competitiveness of agricultural products and the entire agro-industrial complex.
