Uzbekistan is making strides in its digital and rural transformation, driven by government initiatives to digitize public services, foster a growing tech sector, and promote rural innovation. A key component of this effort is the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services of Uzbekistan, which offers 350 public services electronically, accessible to citizens and residents through the OneID Unified Identification System.
In the agricultural sector, Uzbekistan is focusing on modernizing farming methods and enhancing rural infrastructure. The country's horticulture and livestock sectors are primarily composed of small-scale dehkan farmers, who lease plots ranging from 0.3 to 0.5 hectares, a structure established post-independence. Two notable villages in the Fergana region, Novkent, and Yuksalish, are part of the Digital Villages Initiative (DVI), emphasizing smart greenhouse technologies and improved market access.
Despite these advancements, challenges such as water scarcity, inadequate agricultural machinery, and the urban-rural digital divide persist. The DVI projects in Novkent and Yuksalish showcase a commitment to introducing digital tools to rural areas, paving the way for economic growth, enhanced public services, and improved quality of life in rural communities.
The DVI hub in Novkent and Yuksalish serves as a centralized platform for disseminating agricultural information and resources. It provides farmers with timely insights, promotes continuous learning, and facilitates peer-to-peer knowledge exchanges. The hub aims to modernize farming practices, boost productivity, enhance community collaboration, and equip farmers with the necessary skills to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. It hosts curated resources related to farming in Uzbekistan, including tutorials, articles, best practices, and guidance on land programs, available subsidies, and registration processes.
The hub uses a Telegram group and a YouTube video repository to provide comprehensive resources for the agricultural community. The Telegram group enables discussions, resource sharing, and the exchange of goods and services, acting as an online database of reliable resources and expert contacts. The live chat feature allows farmers to talk, share experiences, and trade their produce.
The community also meets regularly for living lab digital workshops on Telegram to discuss challenges with invited experts. The YouTube Repository serves as a dedicated channel hosting best practice videos, expert advice segments, tutorials on digital tools in farming, recorded entrepreneurship training sessions, and other relevant content submitted by the community.
The initiative was launched with financial contributions from the FAO under the Flexible Voluntary Cooperation mechanism FVC/GLO/171/MUL “Piloting Digital Villages in Central Asia”. All resources are accessible without cost.
The hub offers tutorials, articles, and best practices, significantly improving farmers' skills and knowledge. By using digital channels, the DVI hub reduces the need for physical travel, making it more convenient for farmers. It also expands their market reach, enabling them to use digital skills to boost sales and connect with a broader audience.
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