Uzbekistan expands smart farming with new greenhouses
Two modern facilities aim to boost research, training, and food security.
UZBEKISTAN – Uzbekistan has taken another step toward strengthening climate-smart agriculture after the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) handed over two modern greenhouses to Fergana State University.
The project, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Government of the Republic of Korea, is part of the “Smart Farming for the Future Generation” program.
The greenhouses include a 100m² modern seedling production unit and a 284m² model demonstration facility. Both are equipped with irrigation, cooling, and heating systems, as well as insect-proof netting and advanced shading and thermal curtains.
The facilities will serve as live laboratories where students, researchers, and farmers can test and apply climate-resilient horticulture practices.
During the handover ceremony, officials from FAO headquarters in Rome joined representatives from the Fergana Regional Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture, and Fergana State University.
Faculty, students, and smallholder farmers from Fergana, Andijan, and Namangan also took part in the event. The program featured speeches, a ribbon-cutting, a guided tour of the facilities, and the distribution of FAO’s manual on sustainable vegetable production.
“These greenhouses have become a true laboratory – a foundation for our researchers and students to conduct experiments, innovate, and increase Uzbekistan’s scientific capacity in horticulture,” said Mr. Qahramon Davronov, Head of the Department of Horticulture and Viticulture.
“It is important to note that many of the greatest breakthroughs in horticultural science globally have been achieved in protected systems such as greenhouses. With these facilities, our university is better equipped to follow that path.”
Linking science with farmers
The project is designed not only for academic learning but also for direct benefits to rural households. Smallholder farmers who joined the ceremony highlighted the importance of linking innovation with practical farming needs.
The model greenhouses will act as testing hubs for new methods and technologies that can later be adopted by local farmers.
“It is remarkable to see here three generations coming together – smallholder farmers who have grown vegetables their whole lives, professors and teachers leading research in horticulture, and young students, the future farmers, researchers and practitioners,” said Mr. Guido Santini, Programme Coordinator at FAO.
“The model greenhouses have united these generations in pursuit of greater food security and a brighter future for Uzbekistan.”
This development comes as part of a broader effort to expand climate-resilient farming practices in Uzbekistan.
FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture recently announced new training programs and technical exchanges that aim to strengthen knowledge-sharing between universities and farming communities.
These initiatives, together with the greenhouses, mark steady progress in building stronger food systems for the country.
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