Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan is expanding cooperation with China to reduce poverty and raise household incomes, drawing on Chinese experience to develop social and agricultural initiatives, First Deputy Minister of Employment and Poverty Reduction Marat Juraev said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency.
According to Juraev, Uzbekistan is implementing a range of measures to support low-income families. The country's poverty rate stood at approximately 35% at the beginning of the reforms but has since declined significantly, with a substantial share of the population moving above the poverty line.
A central initiative is the "From Poverty to Prosperity" programme, which aims to increase incomes among disadvantaged households. At the local level, the "Mahalla Seven" system provides individual support to families based on their circumstances.
Personalised plans cover seven areas: social services, healthcare, education, employment, interaction with government agencies, housing improvements and the development of mahalla infrastructure.
Uzbekistan has developed approximately 21 pilot projects based on Chinese experience, with implementation beginning in 2025. Chinese experts participated in their preparation, while cooperation is being pursued with institutions including China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
The initiatives include establishing mahallas specialising in tourism and introducing the "One Mahalla, One Product" approach for household farms, alongside the "One Land Plot, One Product" principle for land leased to dehkan farms.
Juraev said agricultural specialisation would allow more efficient use of land resources, improve the organisation of farming operations, facilitate harvesting and marketing, and expand opportunities for agricultural exports.
Another area of cooperation involves introducing China's Juncao grass cultivation technology.
A delegation from an engineering centre specialising in the technology is working in Uzbekistan, with the two sides developing a project to introduce Juncao cultivation across a total of 1,000 hectares in six regions.
The technology has attracted interest because of its potential to improve soil conditions in arid areas, produce high crop yields and strengthen the feed supply for livestock farming.
Uzbekistan and China are also considering establishing a technology transfer centre in Samarkand region.
The proposed facility would involve specialists in agriculture, livestock farming and modern agricultural technologies. It could also serve as a demonstration platform for Chinese technological solutions.
Cooperation extends to professional training. Each year, between 50 and 60 assistants to regional and district governors are sent to different parts of China to study local poverty reduction practices and undertake professional development.
Juraev said Uzbekistan had also proposed jointly developing new approaches to poverty reduction and preventing families from falling back into poverty.
Professors from Chinese universities and other experts are expected to participate in this work.
China has already provided Uzbekistan with scientific publications examining mechanisms for preventing a resurgence of poverty. The materials are currently under review.
