Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 3-4 December in Tashkent, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, in cooperation with the Uzbekipaksanoat Association, organized an International Investment Forum within the framework of the FAO project "Support for Sustainable Sericulture in Uzbekistan".

- This project aims to identify and remove the main obstacles to the development of the silk industry, from the design of silk products to marketing. FAO supports innovation in the silk industry, combining modern trends with traditional features, reviving a rich heritage for the production of high-quality products in demand on the world’s catwalks, said Vladimir Rakhmanin, FAO Deputy Director General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia. - The investment forum promises to become a good platform for stimulating the inflow of domestic and foreign investment in the field of silkworm breeding, the formation and promotion of a positive image of silk products of Uzbekistan both within the country and abroad.

The forum participants exchanged views on the prospects and strategies for the stable development of the industry, as well as on the production of products in accordance with world standards and new trends in the textile industry. It was emphasized, based on Government decisions, the silk industry was identified as one of the priority areas, since this area has a high potential for job creation and production of high added value products.

“Ancient history and rich traditions of silk production in Uzbekistan, climate, high population density, as well as redundancy of labor resources in rural areas make silkworm production a very promising industry for investment. The implementation of the FAO project "Support for Sustainable Sericulture in Uzbekistan" contributes to the development of the silk industry, and at the same time the agricultural sector, which in turn contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” says Sherzod Umarov, project coordinator of the FAO Representation in Uzbekistan.

Within the framework of the FAO project "Support for Sustainable Sericulture in Uzbekistan", a training program on silk cultivation, design, and product diversification has been implemented in three regions with high unemployment and limited access to education. 

At the same time, the emphasis was placed on socially vulnerable groups of the rural population - unemployed youth and women, persons with disabilities, the elderly. The goal was to expand production to a level sufficient to supply export markets with sufficient quantity and quality of handicraft silk products, while addressing employment problems in rural areas.

On the second day of the International Investment Forum (on 4 December 2020), a fashion show “Fashion and Silk” was held in the building of the Association “Uzbekipaksanoat”, where collections of domestic designers made from traditional Uzbek silk were presented.