The November C5+1 summit, which recently took place in Washington, is traditionally assessed by experts through the prism of security issues, transport and logistics corridors, and energy cooperation. However, in the current circumstances, food security is becoming one of the key dimensions of cooperation, in my opinion. For Uzbekistan, this issue is of strategic importance, as the country faces limited water resources and the need to increase land use efficiency. In these circumstances, drawing on US experience and technologies in the field of agricultural innovation, precision farming, and sustainable resource management is becoming an important area of cooperation within the C5+1 format.
This approach is not accidental. In recent years, all Central Asian countries have faced common challenges: climate change, drought, land degradation, growing food demand, and declining water resources. Uzbekistan, while maintaining stable economic growth and population growth, is experiencing objective pressure on its agricultural system, where traditional farming methods are no longer as effective as they once were.
An important outcome of the summit was the announcement of Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s initiative to create a Regional Partnership for Agricultural Technology Innovation, opening up opportunities for collaboration between research centers, universities, agrotechnoparks, and business structures. The potential of such a partnership for Uzbekistan can be described in several areas.
First, it is the introduction of precision farming technologies based on satellite monitoring, big data analytics, and automation of agricultural production. The US has a developed system of digital soil monitoring and was the first in the world to own commercial platforms for high-precision control of agricultural machinery. For Uzbekistan, this is an opportunity to transition from extensive to knowledge-intensive agriculture.
Second, sustainable water management methods. The United States has significant experience in controlling water circulation in arid regions similar to the climatic zones of Central Asia, including the states of California and Nevada. The transfer of drip and combined irrigation methods, water recycling and reuse technologies can be a decisive factor in increasing crop yields.
Third, the development of biotechnology and breeding. Modern varieties of sustainable crops designed for arid regions allow for stable yields while reducing water use. This is particularly important for Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, and Navoi regions.
Overall, the creation of an agrotechnological innovation partnership is important because it involves a regional approach rather than exclusively national solutions. Agriculture and water resources in Central Asia are interlinked, and the sustainability of each state is impossible without the sustainability of its neighbors.
* The Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) does not take institutional positions on any issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IAIS.
