Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – The FAO Representation in Uzbekistan donated 20 small greenhouses to the owners of households in Bukhara district of Bukhara province. Earlier 14 greenhouses were also donated to rural people of Kashkadarya province. 

The support was provided within the framework of the FAO/GEF CACILM-2 project (Integrated Natural Resources Management in Drought-prone and Salt-affected Agricultural Production Systems in Central Asia and Turkey) which is implemented in cooperation and strong support of the  Ministry of Agriculture as part of the socio-economic response to the global crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the “Handing over Certificate”, 20 greenhouses were installed in mahallas of Bukhara district for increasing livelihoods of low-income families. In coordination with the khokimiyat of Bukhara district, they were selected on the basis of list “Temir daftar” of citizens who were unemployed during lockdown and are needed for social protection.

– Our goal is to increase the livelihoods of rural people. If the greenhouse is used effectively, you can get from 10 to 30 million sums per year. Now the most important thing is to establish proper work in greenhouses. Therefore, we visited all the beneficiaries, gave them recommendations regarding the sowing of vegetable crops. For example, it is currently best to sow greens: green onions, spinach, dill, coriander. And after harvesting somewhere in March, they can then sow seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers to get seedlings, - Aziz Nurbekov, FAO National Consultant on Drought Risk Management stressed.

A team consisting khokimiyat and FAO representatives went to check the proper installation of new small greenhouses and talked with beneficiaries.

– I am grateful to FAO for this opportunity. Thanks for the installation of this greenhouse, my family and I were provided with job. Now we have a lot of plans. Garlic, spinach, dill, coriander, radishes and green onions have already been sown. We plan to harvest the first crop in mid-March. Then, having made a profit, we will expand the household, build another greenhouse, - Sanjar Rakhimov, a resident of Bukhara district said.

In 2020, in order to support the rural population, which faced certain difficulties during the lockdown period, FAO donated 31 water pumps, 10 two wheel tractors, as well as 30,000 vegetable seedlings and almost 11 tons of mineral fertilizers to rural people of Bukhara and Kashkadarya provinces. All this has been a great help for rural households in the most difficult period of the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. They have got new sources of income, as well as the opportunity to become self-sufficient in food production resolving the employment issues.

Currently the CACILM-2 project continues to provide assistance to rural people and contribute to ensuring food security.