On January 7, a working meeting was held between the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjayev, who was elected in November as a Chairman of the FAO Regional Conference for Europe and Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyu, reports “Dunyo” IA correspondent.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, during the meeting, the Minister Jamshid Khodjayev and the Director-General of FAO discussed and agreed the plans outlined in the Roadmap for 2021. Ensuring the active participation of Uzbekistan in the work of the World Food Summit in 2021, as well as in the preparation of documents and decisions of the summit were among the key points of the Roadmap.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu confirmed that FAO welcomes Uzbekistan's active participation in the food summit and looks forward to the coordination of the Minister Jamshid Khodjayev as a Chairman of the Regional Conference for Europe. He highlighted the importance and necessity of Khodjayev's contribution to the work of the FAO Council meetings scheduled for 2021, as well as global conferences on food and climate change. The Director-General of FAO also thanked the representatives of the organization for their attention to the work.

• It is a great honor for me to see representatives of FAO among a group of employees of public and private organizations, scientists and specialists, farmers and workers who have made a worthy contribution to the development of the agricultural sector and were awarded the Badge "Qishloq xo'jaligi fidoyisi" ("Agriculture Devotee"). By celebrating every second Sunday of December as the Day of workers of Agriculture, the state pays increased attention to the representatives of agriculture and their initiatives aimed at the development of this important industry, - Qu Dongyu underlined.

During the online meeting, the main points of the Country Framework Program between FAO and Uzbekistan for 2021-2025 were discussed. The program is scheduled to be approved and signed during January.

• Uzbekistan has spent a year of very productive cooperation with FAO, - Jamshid Khodjayev noted. - We have successfully implemented many joint projects and launched several new ones; for example, greenhouse farming, locust control, rice cultivation, beekeeping projects. In accordance with the new UN Sustainable Development Framework, FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture team have now prepared a new Framework Program for Uzbekistan for 2021-2025. I am ready to sign it within a few days and start implementing it.

The Minister also took the opportunity to reiterate Uzbekistan's readiness to support the establishment of the International Digital Council on Food and Agriculture. 

• As the Chairman of the FAO Regional Conference for Europe, I would like to emphasize the significance of supporting all countries to expand opportunities and access to modern digital technologies in agriculture, especially for farmers with small financial resources, - Jamshid Khodjayev added.

As indicated by the Minister, one of such good opportunities for action can be the upcoming Global Forum on Food and Agriculture 2021 and the 13th Berlin Agriculture Ministers' Conference. Another platform will be the forthcoming World Food Summit in 2021.

The meeting ended with the signing ceremony of the Agreement between the Republic of Uzbekistan and FAO on the establishment of the thematic zone of Uzbekistan at the FAO headquarters. It should be reminded that the headquarters is located in the center of Rome, near the Colosseum. The building already has themed spaces designed in the style of various FAO member countries: France, India, Canada, Australia, Poland and others.

Source: Information agency "Dunyo"