Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- USAID Agribusiness Development Activity in partnership with the Horticulture and Greenhouse Development Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan, launched a five-day customized “Horticulture Value Chain Development Training for Extension Agents”. Thirty-five representatives of the Agency from all regions of Uzbekistan improved their capacity in the organization and provision of agricultural extension services.

Agricultural extension plays an important role in the transfer and dissemination of agricultural technologies among farmers and agribusinesses. Extension services for agriculture is indispensable as it provides expert assistance in improving production and processing. Thus, extension workers are expected to have an extensive knowledge of various agricultural disciplines and the ability to deal with agribusinesses and persuade them to adopt modern agricultural technologies, as well as promote continuous learning among agribusinesses to improve their technical and managerial skills. 

In Uzbekistan, significant progress has been made in agricultural sector over recent years. However, local farmers still lack the necessary knowledge and skills to adopt new technologies that are designed to increase farm productivity and improve the post-harvest handling process. 

The five-day training program engaging more than 35 representatives of the Agency from all regions of Uzbekistan, covered all aspects of the horticulture value chain, including production, post-harvest handling, marketing, and exports. The program also included field activities, where participants visited an input supplier, two farming enterprises specializing in horticulture production, and one processing facility. The knowledge gained from the trainings will help staff of the Agency to be better equipped to reach local farmers and help address challenges faced by agribusinesses in Uzbekistan.