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Women engaged in farming, livestock and agricultural processing from all 13 of Uzbekistan’s regions gathered in Tashkent on 11 November for a structured open dialogue organised by the Committee on Family and Women’s Affairs, with representatives of relevant ministries, agencies and banks in attendance. The meeting was held under a directive issued by the Prime Minister on 20 August 2026.
Of the 199 participants, 19 were able to put their concerns and proposals directly to officials and bank representatives during the session. Discussions centred on improving working conditions for women in agriculture, strengthening their social protections, expanding business activity and raising incomes.
Financial access dominated the floor. Thirty-seven participants raised questions about obtaining credit and financial assistance. Fifteen focused on selling produce and accessing export markets, while 14 raised the issue of land allocation. Additional concerns covered irrigation infrastructure, the purchase of agricultural machinery and equipment, greenhouse construction and subsidy eligibility.
A participant from Kashkadarya region reported that water was not reaching fields located at the tail ends of irrigation networks. A farmer from Bukhara asked for practical help introducing water-saving technologies and purchasing a laser land-levelling machine. A participant from Navoiy region proposed installing water meters on fields to improve measurement and accountability.
From Karakalpakstan, a farmer described a need for quality seedlings and agronomic advice to establish a plantation of jida — the Russian olive — intended for export markets. A participant from Khorezm raised the need for refrigerated storage for harvested produce and sought preferential credit to expand livestock operations.
Officials and bank representatives discussed a range of practical responses: joint examination of water-supply interruptions with sector specialists, scientific and practical assistance in selecting suitable jida varieties and supplying quality planting material, and the possibility of acquiring agricultural machinery through leasing arrangements.
The financial backdrop to the forum is a presidential decree dated 3 December 2025, which allocates 2 trillion soums to finance entrepreneurship projects for 6,000 women during 2026 and 2027. Participants at the forum proposed that women who are farmers or smallholders be given priority access to preferential credit and subsidies under that programme.
Further proposals put forward during the dialogue included establishing knowledge-exchange schools in the regions, led by experienced and high-performing women farmers; broadening access to agricultural advisory services; and providing assistance with selling produce on the domestic market and directing it toward export channels.
At the close of the meeting, participants agreed that all proposals and requests would be entered into a unified electronic platform, with a responsible organisation and a specific deadline assigned to each item. Compliance is to be monitored on a regular basis.