The International Fund for Agricultural Development, the European Union, and Hamkorbank, launched a landmark program to boost rural entrepreneurship and expand financial inclusion targeting nearly 4,000 remittance-receiving households and returnees — migrant workers that came back to their place of origin — in Uzbekistan, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. Through a
In 2025, for the first time ever, Kazakhstan exported more ice cream than it imported: exports totaled 14,167 tons, while imports stood at 12,194 tons, reflecting the growing competitiveness of Kazakhstani products, according to the Ministry of Trade and Integration. According to Omarbek Zhuldyz, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Shin-Line, the largest ice cream
On March 1, 2026, Uzbekistan will officially launch a state rainfall induction project. The initiative, approved by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, aims to combat drought and water shortages in the Tashkent region, drawing on the experience of France, China, and Saudi Arabia. The technique is expected to increase precipitation by 10–20%, ensuring agricultural stability, Tashkent Today
There’s a growing discussion on social media that Kazakhstanis have allegedly started buying pork more often due to high prices of beef, which is almost twice as expensive. Social-media users claim the price difference has defined the consumer choice. Orda.kz investigated whether this is true. According to a meat vendor, “It’s not that everyone has
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan have launched a new project to strengthen climate‑resilient agricultural value chains and support 17,000 smallholder farmers in southern regions of Kyrgyzstan. The project is supported with $4.5 million from the government of Japan, according to WFP
Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov last week signed a decree establishing National Organic Agriculture Day, to be celebrated annually on the last Friday of September. The move reflects Kyrgyzstan’s aspiration to strengthen its position as a leading producer of organic agricultural products in the region. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry,
Four artificial glaciers (Ice Stupas) have been created in the Sarchashma mahalla of Shakhrisabz district in the Kashkadarya region. This technology makes it possible to utilize available water resources during the cold season, store the water in the form of ice and gradually melt it in spring and summer for irrigation and household use, according
Kazakhstan has strengthened its position as a global leader in the export of sunflower oil and millcake, an important component in the production of feed for poultry and livestock. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Kazakhstan is the world’s 8th-largest exporter of sunflower oil and ranks among the top 3 sunflower millcake exporters to the
On February 9, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals for developing new lands for agriculture. As a result of irrigation and land reclamation efforts over the past five years, 826.5 thousand hectares of land have been brought into agricultural circulation. Of these, 409 thousand hectares were irrigated lands, while a further 418 thousand hectares were developed
The European Commission has approved Kyrgyz honey for export to the European Union and added it to the EU’s official import list, according to the Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic. The decision confirms that Kyrgyzstan’s control and certification system meets EU standards and opens new market opportunities for local honey producers.
In recent years, the livestock sector in Kazakhstan has demonstrated steady growth and currently accounts for approximately 40% of the country’s gross agricultural output. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2025, the number of cattle reached 8.2 million head, an increase of 2.4% on-year. The number of sheep and goats reached 20.6 million head
On February 3, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a government meeting on the effective use of water resources and the introduction of water-saving technologies in agriculture. Currently, the area of irrigated land in Uzbekistan where water-saving technologies are applied has reached 2.6 million hectares, accounting for 60 percent of the total irrigated area. For comparison, before
From January to November 2025, Uzbekistan exported 14,800 tons of rice to 11 foreign countries, generating a total revenue of $6.4 million, Dunyo information agency reported citing data from the National Statistical Committee. The largest volumes of Uzbek rice were exported to Central Asian countries and neighboring states. Kazakhstan was the largest importer with 8,000
This year Kazakhstan will continue diversifying its agricultural crop areas to reduce its reliance on wheat monoculture and expand the area under highly profitable crops for processing into products with higher added value. At a government meeting on January 13, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Azat Sultanov announced that in 2026, the total area under crops
On January 12, the President of Uzbekistan issued the Resolution “On measures for the establishment of the Fergana tourist and recreational zone.” The decision aims to effectively utilize the tourism potential of Fergana District, activate the resource capacity of mountainous areas, widely involve the local population in service and entrepreneurial activities, increase the district’s investment
In 2025, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the national railway company, transported for export 11 million tons of grain, a record high volume over the past 10 years and a 33% increase compared to 2024, according to KTZ. Grain export transportation to Central Asian countries increased by 30%, reaching 6.3 million tons. Exports to Kyrgyzstan
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan, the Karakalpak Research Institute of Agriculture, and the Rice and Grain Association, convened an international roundtable on “Combating Soil Degradation in the Aral Sea Region and Adaptive Agriculture.” The event brought together leading agricultural experts from Uzbekistan and Russia, representing
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan, in partnership with JSC National Company Food Contract Corporation, has launched a long-term forward procurement mechanism for red lentils to support farmers and promote sustainable agricultural practices in Northern Kazakhstan, UNDP Kazakhstan reported. The initiative is implemented under UNDP’s project “Promoting a Sustainable Agricultural Production System and Conserving
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Bank Arvand have signed a grant agreement to invest approximately €445,000 in a new initiative empowering people in rural Tajikistan to transform remittance flows from relatives abroad into sustainable economic opportunities. The REMIT PRIME Central Asia Programme brings together IFAD, the European Union, and other lenders to increase access to remittances and build
On December 22, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Uzbekistan signed the FAO–Uzbekistan Country Programming Framework 2026–2030, which is embedded in the United Nations’ strategic priorities in the country and the globally adopted Sustainable Development Goals. The new agreement was signed by Viorel Gutu, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative
