President: Farmers will choose what to grow, ensure food security

Farmers in Uzbekistan will now decide for themselves what to plant in their fields. This was announced on July 31 at a meeting on the use of space data and the digitization of agriculture, chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

During the meeting, it was stated that the task of completely updating irrigation standards and hydromodule zoning has been set, with the involvement of scientific institutions in the agricultural and water management sectors. It was also noted that there is still no accurate accounting of the water used by farmers, and it was emphasized that it is necessary to digitize all stages of water usage and carry out contour-by-contour water accounting.

It was reported that the capacity of reservoirs has been calculated based on their design specifications. Over the past two years, 60 large reservoirs have undergone bathymetric analysis for the first time. It was found that the capacity of some reservoirs has decreased due to silt accumulation.

In response, tasks were outlined to install “smart” meters in all reservoirs, ensure online monitoring of water levels, and reduce turbidity.

“Land and water are decisive factors in the future of our agriculture,” said President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Special attention was given to the issue of digitizing the sector. It was mentioned that currently, farmers use more than 30 different platforms for land management, credit, subsidies, and agro-services. To simplify this process, these platforms will be merged into a single integrated system called “Digital Agriculture.”

“Now the farmer decides what to plant in his field and enters this information into the platform himself. As a result, the amount of primary, secondary, and repeat crops will be visible in advance. This is very important for ensuring food security, price stability, and increasing farmers' income,” the presidential press service stated.

It was also announced that a commission will be established to ensure food security, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Kuchkarov. To increase the production of scarce products, preferential loans and subsidies will be allocated.