Nukus, Uzbekistan, September 7, 2024 – Representatives of agriculture initiatives and agribusincesses gathered for the  AgroTech Innovation Day: Advancing Progress with the ‘Jasilawil‘ Platform exhibition, organized jointly with Karakalpak Republican Administration of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Uzbekistan, has become a significant event allowing networking and collaboration to form between farmers, buyers and other market stakeholders. The event was held within the framework of the KOICA-funded ‘Green Rehabilitation Investment Project for Karakalpakstan Republic to address impacts of the Aral Sea crisis’ (Aral Sea GRIP)’, supported by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change.

Farmers of Karakalpakstan today face a range of challenges that impact their productivity and livelihoods. Keeping up with the latest farming technologies can be difficult, while the effects of climate change, such as unpredictable weather, crop losses and the lack of adaptation measures, add further pressure, with many farmers struggling to find new markets or customers for their products. Financial constraints and labor shortages create additional hurdles, limiting their ability to expand or modernize their operations. Farmer expos play a vital role in addressing these challenges. They provide farmers with access to the latest innovations in equipment and farming techniques, offer education on climate-resilient practices.   

The AgroTech Innovation Day: Advancing Progress with the ‘Jasilawil‘ Platform expo brought together nearly 500 participants, including farmers, equipment suppliers, financial institutions, insurance companies and agribusiness representatives. The exhibition emphasized the importance of adopting innovative technologies to address the region’s challenges, particularly the impact of the Aral Sea crisis. It showcased cutting-edge climate-smart agricultural equipment, financing options, and resource-efficient solutions to support local agribusinesses in becoming more climate-resilient. The event was attended by the representatives of Joqarǵı Keńes (The Supreme Council of the Republic of Karakalpakstan), World Bank & International Development Association (IDA), French Development Agency (AFD), “Xalq Bank”, “Argo Bank”, “AgroTech Leasing” and many others. 

Saparbaev Rustem, Deputy Head of Joqarǵı Keńes, highlighted “The state and international organizations are making great efforts to support the development of agriculture in Karakalpakstan. They are introducing innovative solutions, including climate-smart and resilient, water-saving technologies that help address not only the climate change issues, but also improve the population’s well-being in the region.” 

One of the event’s key highlights was the presentation of the “Jasilawil” mobile business platform, developed under the ‘Green Rehabilitation Investment Project for Karakalpakstan Republic to address impacts of the Aral Sea crisis’ (Aral Sea GRIP)’. The platform, available as an app and website in the Karakalpak language, provides farmers with expert consultations, market insights, and tailored information, helping them modernize their operations. The platform’s features and potential improvements sparked engaging discussions, underlining the need for digital tools in modern agriculture. 

A farmer from Kungrad District (requested to stay anonymous) shared “The Jasilawil platform is something I will definitely try using, we [Karakalpak farmers] do need such modernized solutions. Besides, the event is incredibly well-organized! We hope to see more exhibitions like this, along with opportunities to exchange knowledge with farmers from other countries!“  

Panel discussions and workshops deepened the conversations around crucial topics like water-saving technologies, financing in agribusiness, and digital innovation. The greatest interest among participants was shown in agricultural machinery and technology, reflecting their need for innovation to improve the efficiency of agriculture. The event proved invaluable in fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among industry stakeholders, furthering Karakalpakstan’s agricultural development and driving the sector towards sustainability. 

About the Aral Sea GRIP project:   

The desiccation of the Aral Sea basin and its delta have resulted in the loss of agricultural potential, livelihoods and employment and have led to health challenges. These problems are expected to worsen due to the impacts of climate change. To effectively address these issues, GGGI is implementing ‘Green Rehabilitation Investment Project for Karakalpakstan Republic to address impacts of the Aral Sea crisis’ (Aral Sea GRIP)’ (2021 to 2024), financed by KOICA (5.9 million USD) and supported by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan (MEEPCC). The project supports communities of the four most disaster-afflicted districts of Karakalpakstan, Bozataw, Chimbay, Karauyzak and Kegeyli, with climate-smart measures to build sustainable livelihoods, including planting ~18,000 trees of trees in 31 km of windbreaks, mobilizing USD $575+ million in sustainable bond investment and providing climate-change adaptation trainings for 17,000+ people in the project areas.