Digitalization and development of women’s business focus of the IV Forum of Women Farmers co-organized by the OSCE in Tashkent

The development of women’s business in agriculture was the focus of the Forum of Women Farmers “Digitalization and New Technologies – Success Way of Farmer Women” co-organized today by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) together with the International Business Women Association of Uzbekistan (IBWA) and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

The forum was held for the fourth time in Tashkent and gathered over a hundred women farmers, as well as representatives of ministries and government agencies, academia and agribusiness from different regions of Uzbekistan.

Participants discussed challenges faced by female farmers, explored solutions provided by digital technologies, and considered innovative approaches to support and expand female farmers’ businesses.

Ms. Aliya Narkulova, Project Manager at Agromart.uz, the largest provider of digital services for agricultural producers in the country, gave women farmers an overview of the services available on their web-portal, including a trading hub and online consultations. The long-time support by the OSCE PCUz to the Agromart platform is one example of its projects in the field of economic development.

The OSCE remains committed to promoting equal opportunities for women and men in the economic sphere to not only achieve gender equality but also realize a more inclusive social development and higher economic growth, thus contributing to prosperity and stability.

Hans-Ullrich Ihm, Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator, stressed the OSCE’s readiness to further support initiatives to strengthen women's capacities, improve their employment opportunities, and promote business education among them in Uzbekistan. “Facilitating the development of women’s entrepreneurial skills is indispensable to empower them socially and economically,” he said.