The World Bank Agriculture Modernization Project (P158372)
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horticulture, increasing the value of products and being a successful exporter requires much attention to quality,
reliability, safety, and logistics.Uzbekistan is at the early stage of making investments in all these areas. It can increase
its agricultural, and specifically horticultural, exports by addressing constraints related to: (i) availability and quality of
agricultural services for raising on-farm productivity, resilience to climate change, and output quality; (ii) better value
chain organization, farm cooperation, and access to suitable financial products; and (iii) facilitation of trade and marketing
through better agri-logistics, enhanced phytosanitary capacity, and access to market information (see Annex 1).
12. The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), which needs to implement the most reforms, itself requires strengthening and modernization. Its structure and capacity have been designed to support the planning economy agriculture, with
focus on directing production of strategic crops such as cotton and wheat, centralized input delivery, and monitoring of
the achievement of production targets. The Ministry’s capacity for designing and implementing public programs essential
for market-oriented and inclusive agriculture remains weak, despite the reduced institutional fragmentation and return
of many functions to the Ministry after the split of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources in 2017
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. The process
of preparation and adoption of the Agricultural Strategy has created a momentum for institutional reforms. They will
need to focus on: (i) enabling the Ministry to address the challenges of transition from a centrally controlled, planned
economic system to a market-based approach and orientation; (ii) aligning the Ministry’s core competencies with its
changing mandate; and (iii) strengthening technical departments in line with new strategic priorities and requirements.