Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 31 July, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting dedicated to measures for the digitalization of the agricultural sector and the broader application of space technologies in farming.

The meeting followed a video conference held the previous day that focused on increasing the production of fruit, vegetable, and food products. The head of state stressed that effective development of agriculture is impossible without the rational use of land resources and the adoption of modern management methods.

A key instrument in this direction has been the establishment of the Uzbekcosmos Agency at the President’s initiative, which ensures the integration of aerospace technologies into the economy.

Over the past two years, satellite monitoring has covered more than 4 million hectares of farmland, revealing discrepancies in reporting: in some cases, cotton was not grown on the declared areas, while crops were sown on reserve or unregistered lands.

In this regard, a decision was made to introduce a system of remote monitoring for the targeted use of state-issued loans allocated for crop cultivation.

Special attention was also given to rational water use. Mirziyoyev noted that the existing irrigation norms and the hydromodule zoning method are outdated and no longer reflect modern realities, leaving more than three thousand farmers at the lower reaches of canals facing water shortages. He instructed that the irrigation system be fully revised with the involvement of scientific institutes, the introduction of digital water accounting, and strict control of its use at each plot.

The modernization of reservoirs was highlighted as a priority. For the first time, bathymetric analysis of 60 major reservoirs was conducted, showing a significant reduction in capacity due to siltation. In response, the President ordered the installation of “smart” meters on all reservoirs, the establishment of online monitoring, and the implementation of desilting measures.

“Land and water are the foundation of the future of our entire agriculture,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated.

One of the key decisions was the creation of a unified integrated platform called “Digital Agriculture”, which will consolidate more than 30 existing services. Through this platform, farmers will be able to independently choose crops for planting, input data on agricultural work, and view projected harvest volumes. This will help ensure food security, stable prices, and consistent incomes.

To boost the production of high-demand products, the state will provide support through preferential loans and subsidies.

A special commission on food security, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Kuchkarov, has been established.

The active use of drones is also planned: this fall, more than 100 advanced unmanned aerial vehicles will arrive in Uzbekistan for use in agricultural operations. The private sector has been tasked with providing related services to farmers.

Another initiative discussed was the development of a legal framework to ban the burning of straw.

Additionally, the use of space data will enhance planning efficiency in other sectors as well — including construction, cadastral registration, resource development, and the management of forests and pastures.