From 26 to 30 October, a delegation from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction visited Latvia to learn about Latvia’s experience in supporting small-scale farmers, using innovation and digital solutions, and promoting rural development.
The study visit was organised by the Central Finance and Contracting Agency (CFCA) in its capacity as Latvia’s development cooperation agency. Its aim was to introduce the participants to Latvia’s rural development ecosystem and cooperation model, bringing together public authorities, financial institutions, research organisations, advisory service providers and farmers.
The delegation included representatives of Uzbekistan’s national and regional authorities, Agrobank and the agricultural sector. Their particular interests included support mechanisms for the development of small and family farms, access to financing, digitalisation and the adoption of innovation.
The visit began at CFCA, where the delegation learned about project selection and evaluation procedures, the use of artificial intelligence, compliance management approaches and modern project assessment methods. Over the following days, participants gained a broader insight into how Latvia implements its rural development policies and the practical solutions used to strengthen agricultural competitiveness.
At the Ministry of Agriculture and the Rural Support Service, the delegation explored national and EU support schemes for farmers. At the Food and Veterinary Service, discussions focused on food chain requirements and opportunities for small-scale producers to develop their businesses.
At the Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre, the delegation learned about advisory services, knowledge transfer systems and digital tools that help farm businesses improve their management and competitiveness. The practical part of the programme also included demonstrations of how drones can be used in agriculture, including field monitoring and precision farming.
The participants also visited the Institute of Food at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, where they explored food innovation and cooperation between research and business. Visits to the family-run farms “Mītavas Čiekurs” and “Dabas gardumi” offered an insight into the experience and day-to-day operations of Latvian family businesses.
ALTUM presented financial instruments and support opportunities available to farmers and rural businesses.
The visit concluded with a discussion at CFCA on building a competitive rural development ecosystem, cooperation between public authorities, financial institutions and knowledge organisations, and opportunities for future cooperation between Latvia and Uzbekistan.
The study visit gave the Uzbek participants an opportunity to explore Latvia’s approach to rural development across the entire support chain – from policy planning and financial instruments to advisory services, digitalisation, research, innovation and practical farming. The visit fostered the exchange of experience between Latvian and Uzbek representatives and laid the groundwork for future cooperation in promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development.