Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan’s National Agency for Social Protection under the President, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have launched a joint project to expand vocational training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities in agriculture.
The project document for TCP/UZB/4101, “Promoting the Social Inclusion and Employment of People with Disabilities through Accessible Greenhouses,” was signed in Tashkent during a high-level event.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Director of the National Agency for Social Protection Usmon Sharifkhodjaev, UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan Sabine Mahl, Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture Nuriddin Kushnazarov, FAO Deputy Representative in Uzbekistan Sherzod Umarov, as well as representatives of government bodies, specialized educational institutions, organizations of people with disabilities and international partners.
Adapted greenhouses for training and employment
The project will run for 24 months and be implemented at six specialized educational institutions in Tashkent, Tashkent Region, Almalyk, Ferghana and Samarkand.
Under the initiative, existing greenhouses will be adapted for use by people with disabilities. Project participants will receive practical skills and support throughout the production cycle, from growing agricultural crops to gaining hands-on experience needed for future employment.
The initiative is not limited to creating individual adapted facilities. Experience gained during the pilot phase is intended to be transformed into a practical model that can later be applied in other regions of Uzbekistan.
One of the key tools will be the “SmartGreen Inclusion” model. At each pilot institution, specialists will assess agronomic conditions and the accessibility of existing infrastructure. Based on the findings, solutions will be developed taking into account the specific characteristics of each facility and the needs of its users.
The design process will also take into account the views and feedback of people with disabilities and staff at the pilot institutions.
From vocational training to independence
According to the organizers, greenhouse farming can serve both educational and economic functions by creating opportunities to acquire professional skills and develop sources of income.
At the same time, conventional greenhouse infrastructure often remains insufficiently accessible. Narrow passageways, high thresholds, ground-level growing areas and manually operated irrigation systems can limit the ability of people with disabilities to participate fully in training and employment.
The new project is intended to remove these barriers by adapting infrastructure and creating an accessible learning environment.
“Support for people with disabilities should not be limited to social services alone. It is important to create the necessary conditions for them to realize their professional potential, earn a sustainable income and participate equally in economic life. This project brings together adapted infrastructure, practical skills and employment opportunities within a single model, laying the foundation for its further expansion to other regions,” Usmon Sharifkhodjaev said.
National standard and inclusive education model
The project focuses on three key objectives: developing a national standard for designing adapted greenhouses, creating an agricultural education model that takes into account the needs of people with disabilities, and building practical experience that can support the further expansion of the initiative.
Following the pilot phase, an approved national standard for designing adapted greenhouses is planned, along with practical tools for extending the approach through territorial divisions of the National Agency for Social Protection.
The project also includes monitoring results and collecting data disaggregated by gender, type of disability and characteristics of each pilot facility.
FAO Deputy Representative in Uzbekistan Sherzod Umarov said the initiative combines FAO’s technical expertise, the institutional capacity of the National Agency for Social Protection and the professional capabilities of the Ministry of Agriculture.
“The project will result not only in adapted greenhouses, but also in a national standard, an adapted educational model and practical tools for applying this experience in other regions,” he said.
First steps in implementation
During the official launch, the partners discussed activities for the first six months of the project, the division of responsibilities, coordination mechanisms and key deadlines.
Work has also begun on coordinating the schedule for the initial assessment of the six pilot facilities, as well as monitoring, reporting and data-sharing procedures.
The event also featured the exhibition “See My Abilities: Talents and New Opportunities,” which showcased creative works by students of the International Inclusive Hub. Participants also presented an inclusive artistic performance titled “Garden of ‘Wrong’ Flowers.”
The program highlighted the professional and creative abilities of people with disabilities and their right to equal participation in public and economic life.
UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan Sabine Mahl stressed the importance of bringing social protection, education, agriculture and employment together within a single approach.
“This initiative brings these systems together around the individual, creating a practical pathway toward skills development, decent work and greater independence for people with disabilities in Uzbekistan,” she said.
The implementation of TCP/UZB/4101 is intended to establish a practical foundation for expanding economic opportunities for people with disabilities by combining accessible infrastructure, professional agricultural education and employment support mechanisms.
