Skip to content
  • About
  • Partner with Us
  • Indonesia
  • Subscribe
  • Log In
Primary Menu
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Topics
  • News
  • Brief
  • Interview
  • Opinion
  • Figure
  • Infographic
  • Video
  • Community
  • Partner
  • Press Release
  • Youth
  • Global
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Looking into Uzbekistan’s Rural Development

The challenges experienced by Uzbekistan's rural populations require solutions tailored to their rural development needs.
by Kresentia Madina February 5, 2025

Sustainable development moves with the spirit of leaving no one behind, yet around the world, people in rural areas often struggle to access water, electricity, and other basic needs. Their challenges may also depend on various local contexts, and so do the solutions. In Uzbekistan, what efforts are underway to support rural development?

Uzbekistan’s Rural Challenges

Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia with an estimated population of 37 million. Nearly half of them live in rural areas. World Bank data shows that the country has halved its poverty rate from 36% in 2015 to 17% in 2022. Despite this significant progress, people living in Uzbekistan’s rural areas still face many struggles.

For instance, the growth in wheat production in Uzbekistan comes at the cost of land degradation, water pollution, and vulnerability in the agriculture sector. Rural women also lack the ownership to manage land, which further hinders agricultural productivity. Additionally, young people struggle with a lack of necessary skills and opportunities to secure employment.

Climate change also compounds these challenges. Climate-induced droughts and disasters, combined with unsustainable water management, lead to water scarcity. Without interventions, the country will suffer from water shortages of 15 billion cubic meters by 2050.

Rural Development with Local Participation

In 2022, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and the United Nations Development Programme launched a joint project to address accessibility and infrastructure issues in Uzbekistan’s rural areas. Under the Sustainable Rural Development project, they aim to improve access to electricity, water, healthcare, and education, as well as provide road and other infrastructure repair.

During the first phase, the project formed 40 clusters of Community Development Plans, with the active participation of local communities. These plans branched into roadmaps for implementing 895 subprojects to build infrastructures across four regions.

One example is the installation of propane air conditioners in rural medical points in the Aral Sea region, which has long suffered from dust storms caused by the drying up of the lake. At the same time, the air conditioner system reduces carbon emissions, which is important in the context of the ongoing climate crisis. A training session on air conditioner maintenance was also conducted to enable participation and agency from local communities.

The project also facilitates training sessions for digital transformation. “Thanks to the project, 54,190 local residents gained digital access to government services. Furthermore, eight rural schools were provided with new IT resources, including 128 computers and interactive smart boards, unlocking new opportunities for the younger generation,” said Akiko Fujii, UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan.

Leaving No One Behind

At the end of 2024, the project launched its second phase, covering 157 communities across 21 districts in three regions. Training sessions were conducted involving women and people with disabilities to formulate suitable actions for each community’s unique context.

Ultimately, the sustainable development of rural areas and their people must center on the lived experience and insight of the local communities to ensure effective and meaningful progress that leaves no one behind.


Subscribe to Green Network Asia
Strengthen your personal and professional development with cross-sectoral insights on sustainability-related issues and sustainable development across the Asia Pacific and beyond.
Select Your Subscription Plan
Kresentia Madina
Kresentia Madina
Reporter at Green Network Asia | Website |  + postsBio

Madina is the Assistant Manager for Digital Publications at Green Network Asia. She graduated from Universitas Indonesia with a bachelor's degree in English Literature. She has three years of professional experience working on GNA international digital publications, programs, and partnerships particularly on social and cultural issues.

  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    Comprehensive and Participatory Drought Monitoring for Improved Disaster Mitigation
  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    The Role of Risk Communication for Better Disaster Preparedness
  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    How the City of Umeå Addresses Gender Inequality in Urban Areas
  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    Implementing Integrated Approach to Strengthen Resilience in South Africa

Continue Reading

Previous: Mission 300 Aims to Connect 300 Million People in Africa to Electricity
Next: Singapore’s Sustainable Tourism Guidelines for Attractions and Venues

Related Stories

Close-up of seedlings growing in pots How India’s National Agroforestry Policy Helps Tackle Land Degradation and More
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

How India’s National Agroforestry Policy Helps Tackle Land Degradation and More

by Attiatul Noor June 20, 2025
The rapid development in AI technologies must be supported with AI regulation to ensure responsible usage. Establishing AI Regulation to Support Responsible Tech Usage
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Establishing AI Regulation to Support Responsible Tech Usage

by Ayu Nabilah June 19, 2025
a wilted sunflower Comprehensive and Participatory Drought Monitoring for Improved Disaster Mitigation
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Comprehensive and Participatory Drought Monitoring for Improved Disaster Mitigation

by Kresentia Madina June 18, 2025
multiple megaphones attached on a pillar The Role of Risk Communication for Better Disaster Preparedness
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

The Role of Risk Communication for Better Disaster Preparedness

by Kresentia Madina June 17, 2025
two hands joining puzzle pieces Indonesia-UN Collaboration to Support Job Creation and Social Protection
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Indonesia-UN Collaboration to Support Job Creation and Social Protection

by Abul Muamar June 16, 2025
a photo of Umea town landscape. How the City of Umeå Addresses Gender Inequality in Urban Areas
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

How the City of Umeå Addresses Gender Inequality in Urban Areas

by Ayu Nabilah and Kresentia Madina June 13, 2025

About Us

  • GNA Founder’s Letter
  • GNA In-House Team
  • GNA Author Network
  • GNA Press Release Guidelines
  • GNA Op-ed Article Guidelines
  • GNA Community Content Guidelines
  • GNA Internship
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
© 2021-2025 Green Network Asia