BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 11. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $60 million concessional loan to support Uzbekistan's livestock sector, improve food security and strengthen the resilience of rural communities to climate-related challenges.
According to the ADB, the financing will support the Resilient Livestock Development Project, which is expected to benefit around 29,000 smallholder farmers across five major livestock-producing areas: Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Karakalpakstan and Samarkand.
The project aims to improve farmers' access to animal feed, strengthen veterinary services and promote more sustainable pasture management. It will also introduce measures to help livestock producers cope with drought, extreme heat and water shortages.
These measures include improving pasture management, expanding the production of drought- and salt-tolerant fodder crops, rehabilitating livestock watering points and increasing feed availability.
Moreover, the project will strengthen veterinary and agricultural advisory services through digital solutions, including AI-supported pasture monitoring, a mobile application providing farming advice and early warnings, and upgraded community-based veterinary support.
Particular attention will be paid to supporting women livestock farmers through targeted training in fodder production and expanded opportunities to participate in livestock-related businesses and decision-making.
The $60 million loan will be complemented by a $5 million grant from the Green Climate Fund under its Glaciers to Farms program and a $3 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, financed by the Government of Japan through the ADB.
"Livestock is a vital source of income and food for millions of people in rural Uzbekistan, but the sector is increasingly affected by drought, extreme heat, and water scarcity," ADB Country Director for Uzbekistan Kanokpan Lao-Araya said.
The ADB is a multilateral development bank established in 1966 to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth across Asia and the Pacific. It is owned by 69 members, including 50 from the region.
