Uzbekistan and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have agreed to expand their partnership in the agricultural sector. This cooperation will involve the implementation of artificial intelligence, mechanization, and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
The discussion took place during the visit of the Minister of Agriculture of Uzbekistan, Ibragim Abdurakhmonov, to Italy to participate in the World Food Forum. The meeting was held with IFAD Vice President D. Brown and the organization's representative in Uzbekistan, T. A. Monem. This was reported by the government press service.
The parties reviewed the progress made in agricultural reforms in Uzbekistan and also studied the implementation and prospects of the project 'Effective solutions for agribusiness: high income, investment, and sustainability.'
The IFAD Vice President emphasized Uzbekistan's significance in ensuring food security and developing agriculture in the region. He also noted that the organization's sole office in Central Asia is located in Tashkent.
As a result of the negotiations, it was decided to continue joint work through grant projects from 2026 to 2028. The main areas include the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies into the agrarian sector, industry mechanization, and expanding the application of drone technologies. The parties also agreed to support joint projects aimed at developing Uzbek agriculture.