Uzbekistan Launches First National Farm Census with UN Help

Uzbekistan has officially launched a historic project to conduct its first National Agricultural Census, a major step toward building reliable, globally comparable data for the country’s development.

The initiative is being carried out by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Agency on Statistics (UzStat), and the Ministry of Agriculture, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

The census will be conducted alongside the national population census, marking an unprecedented milestone. At the launch seminar, representatives from UzStat, key ministries, FAO, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the EU Delegation, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank highlighted the significance of the project.

FAO Deputy Representative Sherzod Umarov emphasized that the census will help Uzbekistan generate high-quality data aligned with international standards. UzStat Chairman Behzod Khamrayev noted that accurate information on population demographics, land use, livestock, and crop production will serve as a foundation for smarter resource management and regional development planning.

The project includes the introduction of modern digital tools for data collection, such as CAPI/CAWI systems, and enhanced mechanisms for data processing, quality control, and dissemination. FAO experts shared insights on methodology, digital solutions, and monitoring to ensure the census meets global best practices.

The seminar concluded with an agreement on the roadmap and a shared commitment to delivering accurate, high-quality data. FAO reaffirmed its support to Uzbekistan at every stage of the census implementation.