A regional technical seminar titled “Livestock value chains in Central Asia: status, challenges and policy” was held today in Tashkent.

The event brought together more than 50 participants, including representatives of government institutions, academia, the private sector, and international organizations working in the livestock sector, to discuss current challenges and prospects for the development of livestock value chains in the region.

The seminar was jointly organized by the Center for International Development and Environmental Research (ZEU) of Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representation in Uzbekistan, and the German-Uzbek Dialogue on Climate-Resilient Agriculture.

Participants discussed the development of livestock value chains in Central Asian countries, the integration of smallholders into markets, sustainable feed production, and regional cooperation in combating animal diseases.

Opening remarks were delivered by Maripa Kichinebatyrova (FAO Uzbekistan), Dr. Azamjon Nurmatov, Director of the Research Institute for Livestock and Poultry under the State Committee for Veterinary and Livestock Development, and Professor Dr. Martin Petrick from Justus Liebig University Giessen.

The seminar presented the outcomes of the international research project “Trans-Livestock: Economic integration of livestock husbandry in the trans-border region of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan”, financially supported by the Federal Government of Germany. Implemented between 2022 and 2025, the project explores cross-border cooperation in livestock production, trade in animal products, sustainable feed supply, pasture management, and the integration of the livestock sector into the regional economy.

Project partners include the Tajik Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Khujand, the Research Institute for Livestock and Poultry (Uzbekistan), the Center for Agricultural Reform and Innovation Studies (CARIS) in Samarkand, and the FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia (Almaty, Kazakhstan).

Speakers and discussants at the seminar explored the role of small and large livestock keepers in Central Asia, how to aggregate the interests of the former vis-à-vis other actors in the value chain and the government, how government services could be made more effective, and whether the market or the government should play the leading role in shaping the future of farming in Uzbekistan.

According to the project leader at Justus Liebig University, Prof. Petrick: “An especially notable debate emerged after questions about the agricultural youth – how independently they should shape their own future and how they could acquire the resources needed for that future. These are crucial questions for a young society like Uzbekistan”.

Experts also emphasized the importance of strengthening economic cooperation in the livestock sector, enhancing pandemic preparedness through the “One Health” approach, and bridging the gap between scientific research and policymaking.

The seminar concluded with discussions on policy options and recommendations to promote sustainable livestock development, enhance regional trade, and expand joint scientific initiatives in Central Asia.

UzA