Global agriculture is rapidly changing its face. Traditional technologies used for decades are replaced with new ones. Hundreds of research centers around the world work on improving the effectiveness of different areas of the agricultural sector. What is behind that: the fear of famine, lack of land and water resources? There is, perhaps, a little of everything. That is why nowadays food security is turning into an integral part of the strategy of national policy in any country that concerns about its future. Uzbekistan is no exception.



A tough choice

What policy is right to choose to create an efficient agriculture has been an issue of experts and specialists in many countries of the world for over a decade. Their efforts are proved by the recently published report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which mentions that in 2013-2014 the markets will be saturated with food products, and particularly cereals. The cost of global food imports in 2013, according to preliminary estimates, will make up $ 1.09 trillion, which is close to the level of last year, but 13% below the record level of 2011.

This figure conceals two basic factors: the importance of reaching their own food security and tremendous opportunities for agricultural producers in the global market. The key is one for all: the work will be effective only when each spent soum will give feedback. Under present conditions, when the competition is getting increasingly fierce and there is the challenge to compete not only with the local, but to a greater extent with foreign manufacturers, only the companies that apply the latest technologies and equipment will remain in the market. The crisis and tightened competition are gradually replacing inefficient farmers who were not able to reorient and upgrade their production.

Uzbekistan has long agricultural traditions, rooted in the history of the ancient agricultural Bactria and Sogdiana. At the time of the Soviet Union the scientific base of agriculture was significantly strengthened. However, unfortunately, it focused on development of a monoculture of cotton, and cultivation of other crops was based on the leftover principle, instead of full-scale use of rich natural and climatic conditions of the country. Over the past 20 years, Uzbekistan has made significant steps to diversify the agricultural sector, develop the processing industry. However, at the present stage one cannot state that the country leads in introduction of agricultural technologies. Meanwhile, it is important that the country\'s agriculture is actively developing, adopting different models and shapes, seeking for its niche in the global market. Today fruits and vegetables grown in Uzbekistan are in great demand in Russia and the CIS, South Korea and in the Middle East.

FAO mentioned related positive changes in its last year’s annual statistical report. According to the organization, cereal production increased by 6.6% in 2000 - 2010 in Uzbekistan. In 2010 Uzbekistan produced more than 7.4 million tons. In vegetable growing Uzbekistan ranked the region’s top with the rate of more than 7.5 million tons (2010). For comparison, the runner-up Kazakhstan produced more than 3.6 million tons. The tougher leadership is observed in cultivation of fruits. In 2010, the country produced more than 2.6 million tons of fruits. The closest competitor, Turkmenistan, produced only 386,000 tons.

Regarding livestock, the leadership is shared between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In 2010, the number of cattle in the country exceeded 8.5 million, sheep - 12.1 million, poultry - 35.2 million, and Kazakhstan reported respectively - 6 million, 14.6 million and 32.7 million. The beef production in the republic reached 665,000 tons, lamb – 100,000 tons, and Kazakhstan – 407,000 tons and 123,000 tons. Uzbekistan also takes a region’s lead in the production of milk (2010 - 6.1 million tons).

A look at the future

It would be right to keep in mind that in the current conditions the agriculture can not develop in isolation. Nowadays the success comes to the countries that build an interconnected complex with agriculture as the primary link, which is closely related to the processing industry, storage and refrigeration facilities, agricultural machine building, chemical manufacturers and banks. Therefore, according to experts, in the foreseeable future, Uzbekistan has to first of all concentrate on the development of cooperation between abovementioned sectors, as well as on breeding new varieties and hybrids of agricultural crops that are resistant to adverse conditions, diseases and pests, on increasing the number of beef cattle, poultry, and introduction of energy-saving and processing technologies. Much of that is already underway.

This year Uzbekistan adopted a range of landmark documents in this direction. First of all, the republic approved the State Program on Improvement of Irrigated Land and Rational Use of Water Resources for 2013-2017. It is hard to overestimate the importance of the document for Uzbekistan, which has a traditionally developed irrigation. Moreover, the issues of access to water resources in the region are getting increasingly challenging.

The program is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of work on improvement of irrigated lands, development of a drainage and irrigation network, rational and careful use of water resources, thereby ensuring the sustainability of agricultural production, raise of soil fertility and increase of crop yields.

In the next five years it is planned to build and reconstruct 3,852 km of collectors, 35 drainage pumping stations, 1,257 km of closed horizontal drainage network, 907 drainage wells. Over 830 items of land reclamation equipment and machinery will be purchased through leasing. Great attention will be paid to the introduction of drip irrigation. It is projected to introduce this method on 25,000 hectares of land based on the system of privileges and preferences.

The complex of measures on introduction of modern energy-saving technologies and equipment in the water sector has become a peculiar complement to the program. Presently this is a very sensitive issue for the domestic agricultural sector. The country inherited outdated and inefficient equipment from the Soviet period that consumes large amounts of energy. Experts recognized more than 3,900 electric pumping stations as morally and physically obsolete and subject to replacement, and another 1,297 units need to be replaced as a priority. It is easy to calculate what a huge savings and electricity the implementation of these measures would bring in the future.

Strengthening of logistical base of the agricultural sector is underway. Experts mention this process as optimally diversified and transparent in Uzbekistan. Today the Uzbek market is represented by domestic companies and the world\'s leading agricultural machinery giants, many of which seek for effective sales through the establishment of their own manufactures, development of localization in the republic, thereby reducing production costs. The German Claas and LEMKEN GmbH & Co and the American Case New Holland lead in this field. The negotiations are underway with certain Russian, German, Austrian and Italian companies to establish the manufacture of a wide range of agricultural machinery and equipment. Besides, big batches of modern equipment will be purchased to strengthen the logistical base of regional fleet. For instance, this year the enterprises of Uzagromashservis Association will acquire 300 crawler tractors with attached implements by the Chinese company China National Machinery Industry Corporation without tendering. Domestic enterprises move ahead as well: they apply new tools to compete with foreign producers. Uzbekistan launched a specialized design office for the latest agricultural engineering. Reformation of the system of sales and after-sales maintenance of equipment of domestic production is underway. Tashkent Tractor Plant, one of the country’s largest manufacturers of agricultural machinery, carries out a pilot project on creation of a specialized network to deal with sale and maintenance of equipment.

On the other hand, the customers are offered all the conditions to choose the product specifically for their needs. Every year Uzbekistan holds numerous exhibitions of different scale, where farmers and representatives of agricultural enterprises and processing factories can explore the whole range of presented equipment, facilities, mini-technologies, and make their choice. In order to attract the biggest producers to exhibition events the government motivates them through privileges and preferences.

Special appeal in evolution

Regardless of where the Uzbek agriculture is mentioned, it is traditionally associated primarily with fruits and vegetables, melons, cotton and grain crops. There is certainly some truth in that. However, some serious steps have been taken in recent years to diversify the production and develop non-traditional kinds of agriculture.

For example, beekeeping is boosting. Today, there are more than 7,500 business entities engaged in honey production, which reached 4,800 tons a year. Silkworm breeders do not fall behind: this year they have gathered more than 25 thousand tons of cocoons. In general, over 45,000 farms are engaged in this field. Ostriches breeding, which is absolutely unprecedented for Uzbekistan, is being developed in Tashkent region. The total area of the farm is about six hectares with specially equipped premises of 700 square meters for keeping the big birds . It is planned to bring the herd of ostriches to 200.

Currently more than 1,600 enterprises and households cultivate fish in lakes and reservoirs on a total area of 583 thousand hectares. Last year nearly 26,000 tons of fish was procured. This year 448 projects were approved to develop the sector. 178,000 hectares of natural lakes and 1,658 hectares of artificial reservoirs have been allocated for fish farming. 480 new farms opened thus providing over 1,400 jobs. Banks allocated 5.3 billion soums (Currency rates of CB from 02.07.2013 1$=2096.19 soums), of concessional loans for their financial support. The farms grow catfish, silver carp, and trout. Domestic scientists developed a technology of accelerated fish growing based on local feed. (Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)