FAO Representation in Uzbekistan in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan and the Association "Women of the Agricultural Sector" of Uzbekistan continue conducting workshops for representatives of the agro-industrial complex entities of the country.

On May 22-23, 2021 the workshop was held in Termez to support the staff of the Department of Agriculture of Surkhandarya region in formulating and implementing gender-responsive and socially inclusive policies that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.

The training was organized within the scope of the FAO project "Support in implementation of inclusive agricultural policies". Within the project, more than 250 women and men working in the Ministry of Agriculture, local authorities and other agencies will be trained to gain greater awareness of gender equality concepts, and their links with agriculture and food security, the SDGs and "leaving no one behind" principles.

The participants of the training got acquainted with the basics of gender approaches in agriculture, the national legislation of Uzbekistan on gender issues, the role of women in ensuring the food security of the population of Uzbekistan and in the development of agriculture, and other topics.

In 2019 Uzbekistan adopted the country’s first-ever gender equality law, "Guarantees of Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men", which requires each sector of the national economy, including agriculture and forestry, to develop a gender mainstreaming strategy and action plan that prioritizes the needs and interests of rural women. In Uzbekistan, agriculture accounts for 32 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and employs at least 27 percent of the labour force. Nearly half of the population lives in rural areas, that is why women empowerment-related issues are of great importance. FAO is assisting the Ministry of Agriculture and other entities related to the country’s agro-industrial complex, to enhance the capacities of policymakers and practitioners to formulate and implement inclusive and socially just policies and programmes that take into account the interests and needs of socially vulnerable groups, especially rural women.

The training in Termez was conducted by professors and international trainers. Adiba Akhmedzhanova, Chairman of the Association "Women of the Agricultural Sector" of Uzbekistan, highlighted in her speech the role of women in the development of agriculture of Uzbekistan and in ensuring food security, told about measures aimed at eliminating gender inequality in this area.

As a result of the two-day seminar, the opinions and proposals of representatives of the agricultural sector were studied. The participants were presented with certificates and hand-outs.

The workshops are planned to be held in other regions of the country.