President Reviews Proposals to Expand Financial Support for the Agricultural Sector

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 17 November, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, reviewed a presentation of new proposals aimed at increasing the efficiency of cotton production through advanced agrotechnologies, as well as improving mechanisms for financial support in agriculture.

Agriculture remains one of the key sectors of the economy, accounting for 20% of GDP, with an annual production volume of 467 trillion soums and employment for 3.5 million people. Fresh and processed agricultural products constitute one-third of the country’s national exports.

Increasing Yields and Supporting Farmers

The presentation detailed measures to increase cotton yields, including: targeted work with low-productivity farms, expanding the use of modern agrotechnologies, fertilization and irrigation systems, and a fundamental overhaul of agronomist training. A key proposal was the launch of a mentorship system in cotton cultivation.

Experienced farmers with yields exceeding 60 centners per hectare will be assigned to farms producing less than 30 centners. Leading farmers will undergo retraining at the Institute of Advanced Training and receive certification. If low-yield farms reach 50 centners per hectare, mentors will receive a reward of 5 million soums.

Reforming Agronomist Training

For students at the Agrarian University and relevant universities, a two-year dual education program will be implemented. Internships will take place at leading clusters and farms. Students will receive scholarships, while mentor specialists will receive incentive payments.

Development of Breeding and Seed Production

Special attention was given to the creation of local cotton varieties. Despite having two leading scientific institutions — the Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics and the Institute of Cotton Growing — their potential is not fully utilized. To accelerate breeding, it was instructed to construct a phytotron and reproduction greenhouse at these institutions. This will allow for reducing the development time for new varieties by 2.5 times, increasing research efficiency, and completely eliminating reliance on imported seeds.

Digitalization of Agriculture

Plans were discussed for large-scale implementation of agrodrones and operator training, artificial intelligence technologies, and digital monitoring and forecasting systems. The Ministry of Agriculture, together with foreign partners, is developing educational programs and scientific infrastructure in this field.

Financial Support and Insurance

The President was presented with proposals to reform financial mechanisms, including: from 2026, introducing a voluntary crop insurance system for cotton, grain, fruit, and leguminous crops, with 50% of the insurance premium covered by the budget, and the creation of an Agricultural Payments Agency to consolidate 75 types of subsidies into a single electronic platform, reducing bureaucracy.

Decisions Adopted

The Head of State approved the proposed initiatives and instructed the relevant agencies to begin their implementation.