Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is holding a four-day training programme in Tashkent from 10 to 13 November to improve pesticide safety in Uzbekistan, with a focus on gender-related risks.
Organised jointly with the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat, the programme brings together around 45 representatives of government agencies, research and educational institutions, agricultural advisory services and the private sector. The initiative is supported by a European Union-funded project.
The training addresses differences in how men and women in agriculture are exposed to pesticides and access information, protective equipment and advisory services.
According to FAO's 2025 National Gender Profile of Agriculture, women account for more than 43% of Uzbekistan's agricultural workforce, while men control more than 93% of agricultural land. Men are also estimated to be about twice as likely as women to receive agricultural advisory services.
These figures point to disparities not only in access to resources but also in access to professional knowledge. As a result, some women directly involved in agricultural work may not receive information through conventional channels on the safe handling of chemicals.
Pesticide exposure is not limited to the people applying the chemicals. Workers entering treated fields and family members handling potentially contaminated work clothing may also face risks.
An FAO study covering Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Türkiye found that men predominantly make decisions about pesticide use, while women and children are also exposed to these substances. A shortage of personal protective equipment remains a common problem for both men and women.
The training therefore considers not only technical requirements for pesticide application but also working conditions, the distribution of tasks and access to safety information among different groups in rural communities.
From information to practical skills
The Tashkent programme combines discussion of gender aspects in pesticide management with practical tools that can be used when working with farming communities.
Participants are examining FAO's gender-responsive pesticide risk management approach, findings from biopesticide trials and the role of Farmer Field Schools in promoting integrated pest management.
Other topics include safer alternatives to hazardous pesticides, personal protective equipment and policies to protect the health of agricultural workers.
The practical component includes FAO's role-playing tool, "Acting Against Risks". It helps rural communities identify potential pesticide-related hazards, assess differences in the vulnerability of men and women, and jointly develop possible solutions.
Following group sessions, participants will travel to Pakhtakor district in Jizzakh Region to apply their knowledge while working with local farmers.
The field exercise is intended to test the approach under real-world conditions and identify obstacles to its implementation at community level.
After the practical work, participants are expected to discuss how the approach could be incorporated into agricultural advisory services, farmer training programmes, Farmer Field Schools and university education.
Link to national agricultural policy
The training is aligned with Uzbekistan's Ministry of Agriculture Gender Strategy for 2025–2030, developed with technical support from FAO.
The initiative comes as Uzbekistan modernises its agricultural sector, with efforts to increase productivity accompanied by improvements in working conditions, wider professional opportunities for rural communities and reduced environmental harm.
Incorporating gender considerations into pesticide management broadens the scope of environmental safety measures. The aim is not only to reduce potential soil and water contamination but also to prevent health risks for people directly or indirectly involved in agricultural production.
FAO headquarters representatives Nadia Coriale and Flavia Grassi, who are conducting the training, said that men and women face pesticide-related risks to different degrees.
Reducing these risks requires ensuring that everyone working in agriculture has access to relevant information, training and services, they said.
The initiative is supported by FAO's project, "Technical Assistance for the Sound Management of Hazardous Chemicals", funded by the European Union.
The project has a budget of 3.9 million euros and aims to reduce environmental degradation in Uzbekistan by improving pesticide management, strengthening the regulation of chemicals and promoting sustainable farming practices.
Expected practical outcomes
One expected outcome of the training is a group of specialists capable of independently delivering pesticide safety sessions for farmers and rural communities. Participants' recommendations will also be considered when identifying priority measures for the National Action Plan.
The long-term impact of such initiatives will depend on how consistently the knowledge gained is applied by agricultural enterprises and farms.
This requires a shift from one-off information campaigns to systematic work, including regular advisory services, accessible training, better access to personal protective equipment and wider adoption of safer agricultural technologies.
With women accounting for a substantial share of Uzbekistan's agricultural workforce, this approach has both social and economic significance.
Reducing health risks for workers, improving the safe use of chemicals and promoting sustainable farming methods can all contribute to the long-term resilience of the agricultural sector.
