ZAWYA: ICBA and Uzbekistan’s Agency for innovative development sign agreement

The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and Uzbekistan’s Agency for Innovative Development have signed a collaboration agreement to launch the “Farmers’ and Agro-Entrepreneurs Accelerator for Developing and Commercializing Crop Value Chains” in Nukus, Karakalpakstan. The agreement was signed by Dr. Tarifa Alzaabi, Director General of ICBA, and Dr. Asror Norov, Acting Director of the Agency for Innovative Development. The three‑month programme, supported by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development under the project “Development of Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems in Degraded Areas of Karakalpakstan,” aims to reach 200 beneficiaries from Karakalpakstan with a particular focus on women and youth.

“This agreement reflects an advanced stage of our work in Karakalpakstan, as we move from supporting sustainable agricultural production to enabling farmers and agro-entrepreneurs to build practical pathways for value chain development and market access,” Dr. Tarifa Alzaabi said. “Through this program, we aim to equip beneficiaries with the technical and business knowledge and skills needed to turn climate-resilient crops into scalable economic opportunities.”

Program scope and objectives

The accelerator represents a shift from purely production-focused interventions to a value-chain and market-orientation intended to improve commercial readiness among smallholders and agro-entrepreneurs in the Aral Sea region. ICBA and the Agency for Innovative Development say the programme will deliver an integrated support model combining technical, post-harvest and business elements to help participants add economic value to climate‑resilient crops and access wider markets.

• Duration: three months
• Target reach: 200 beneficiaries from Karakalpakstan, prioritising women and youth
• Support partners: Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (under the Karakalpakstan sustainable agriculture project)
• Core components: technical training, post‑harvest management, agro‑processing, branding, business planning and market access

Dr. Asror Norov underscored the regional importance of the collaboration, saying: “For the Aral Sea region, this cooperation is important because it links innovation with practical agricultural transformation. Through ICBA’s scientific expertise and international experience in biosaline agriculture, the program will support the modernization of crop value chains in Karakalpakstan, from cultivation and production to processing and market delivery. It will also help create a structured training and acceleration platform for farmers, young specialists, and agri-entrepreneurs, supporting the wider application of green innovations in the region.”

Context and implementation

The accelerator will be implemented as part of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development’s project to develop sustainable agricultural production systems in degraded areas of Karakalpakstan. ICBA, established by the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Development Bank, positions the programme within its broader mandate to advance resilient agriculture in saline and arid environments by integrating soil, water, crop and climate expertise.

By combining technical know‑how with business incubation and market linkages, the initiative aims to move beneficiaries beyond subsistence or low-margin production toward scalable enterprises. The emphasis on women and youth participation is intended to broaden economic inclusion while strengthening rural resilience in a region confronting environmental degradation and economic challenges.

Outlook

Over the three-month cycle, organisers expect the accelerator to build practical capacity for 200 participants and to pilot models for value‑chain development that can be scaled or adapted across Uzbekistan. If successful, the programme could serve as a template for linking biosaline and climate‑resilient crop research to commercialization pathways and broader rural economic recovery efforts in the Aral Sea basin and similar environments.