The EU-funded project “Strengthening the Economic Capacity and Efficiency of Small and Medium-Sized Farmers in Uzbekistan” was officially launched in Tashkent on 24 February 2026.
The project aims to promote the development of a sustainable, market-oriented, and inclusive agri-food system by increasing the incomes of smallholder and dehkan farmers, strengthening agricultural cooperatives, expanding their participation in value chains, and enhancing food security for smallholder farmers and the most vulnerable population groups.
Key activities in the first year will include information sessions for farmers and a call for proposals for cooperatives to select three pilot cooperatives that will receive project support in the form of training, study visits, and grants.
The launch event brought together:
- H.E. Toivo Klaar, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Uzbekistan;
- H.E. Ģirts Jaunzems, Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to the Republic of Uzbekistan;
- Anita Krūmiņa, Director of the Central Finance and Contracting Agency of Latvia (CFCA);
- Mr. Nuriddin Qo‘shnazarov, Advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
- Mr. M. Shonazarov, Director of the Department for Poverty Reduction and Coordination of Hokim Assistants’ Activities at the Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction of the Republic of Uzbekistan,
as well as representatives of government institutions, civil society organisations, and international partners.
EU Ambassador Toivo Klaar emphasised that the objective of the project is to support economically viable farmers’ groups engaged in collective economic activities:
“The core challenge is to identify and support farmers who have already conceived a credible collective initiative — farmers who are prepared to undertake the additional responsibility and governance requirements that come with establishing and managing a cooperative. This cannot and should not be achieved through a top-down approach.”
Ģirts Jaunzems, Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to Uzbekistan, stated:
“Agricultural cooperatives are a key instrument for increasing productivity, income growth and economic resilience in rural areas of Uzbekistan.”
Anita Krūmiņa, Director of the Central Finance and Contracting Agency of Latvia, added:
“This project is not only about policy or structures — it is about people. Our role is to ensure that European Union support translates into practical and sustainable results for farmers and rural communities.”
The project is funded by the European Union and will be implemented from 2026 to 2028 by the Central Finance and Contracting Agency of Latvia (CFCA), in cooperation with the Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre (LRATC), and in close partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction of the Republic of Uzbekistan.