The key facts

  • The country has 21.255 million hectares of pastures, only 40% used efficiently
  • 620 thousand hectares to be restored by year-end, 3.7 million hectares in 2027
  • 323 irrigation facilities worth 100 billion soums will improve water supply for 969 thousand hectares

Setting tasks on pastures

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on preventing pasture degradation, improving their water supply and efficient use, the presidential press service and Kun.uz reported. According to the presentation, the country has 21 million 255 thousand hectares of pastures, but only 40% of them are used efficiently. The head of state noted that tapping this potential is extremely important for ensuring the country's food security.

Tasks for hokims and reducing degradation

In accordance with the recently signed presidential decree on the efficient use of pastures, tasks have been defined for organizing its implementation. Hokims must restore and increase the productivity of 620 thousand hectares of pastures by the end of this year, and 3 million 700 thousand hectares next year. Together with the Agency for the Development of Livestock and Pasture Farming, within a month they will approve comprehensive programs to reduce degraded areas by 10% this year and 20% next year.

Regional examples

In the Navoi region, the Kengsoy pumping station is being reconstructed using 30 billion soums from the local budget, and 20 thousand hectares of pastures are being developed. Eleven entrepreneurs have begun building reservoirs and introducing sprinkler irrigation technology, which will make it possible to produce 250 thousand tons of feed annually for 60 thousand head of cattle. In the Nishan district of the Kashkadarya region, a pivot irrigation system has been introduced on 1 thousand 332 hectares, and new fodder crops adapted to local conditions are being planted. This experience has been ordered to be spread to the Mubarek and Dehkanabad districts, and a total of 9.4 thousand hectares of seed-growing areas are to be created within a year.

Water supply and financing

Funds from pasture leases will remain at the disposal of territorial pasture farms. Using them, an additional 448 wells will be drilled, improving water supply for 1.5 million hectares of pastures next year; 1 thousand 600 wells will be repaired by the end of the year. In addition, using 100 billion soums allocated from the budget, 161 irrigation facilities will be built this year and 81 each in 2027 and 2028 — 323 facilities in total, which will allow restoring 969 thousand hectares of pastures.

Shepherds' rights and public pastures

The issue of formalizing the rights of herders who have used pastures for decades was considered. The term of the relevant commission for formalizing 623 thousand hectares of pastures, where 260 thousand head of livestock are kept, in the name of current users has been extended until the end of the year. Public pastures will be created for residents of remote areas: by the end of the year, 627 thousand hectares will be transferred free of charge on a 49-year lease to 470 mahallas, and these areas are exempt from taxes.

New opportunities for pasture use

Under the new system (according to Gazeta.uz), livestock complexes may be built without changing the land category, with the initial price of plots and land tax calculated as for agricultural land. In the Navoi, Samarkand and Surkhandarya regions, 15 complexes for more than 55 thousand head of livestock are planned to be built on 130 hectares. The importance of using pastures not only for grazing but also for ecotourism, beekeeping, growing medicinal plants, seed farming, hunting and sericulture was also noted — leases for such projects will be permitted provided the natural state of the pastures is preserved and they are restored. Responsible officials have been given instructions on restoring pastures, strengthening the water and feed base, and implementing new opportunities on the ground.