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PROJECT
INFORMATION
Geography
Focus Areas
Contact
Andriy Yarmak
Keywords
Summary
Under the ACES initiative, the EBRD and FAO will inform private sector companies about the key environmental and climate challenges affecting the horticultural value chain and the solutions available to address them. The work will identify and assess emerging technologies and commercial innovations that can reduce the value chain’s environmental footprint, mitigate climate impacts and strengthen its resilience to climate change. Solutions will be explored across all stages of the value chain, from production, irrigation and crop protection to harvesting, storage, post-harvest handling and perishable goods logistics. The analysis will combine a global perspective with an assessment of the specific context and needs of Uzbekistan, where targeted awareness-raising and capacity development activities will support the uptake of sustainable technologies and practices.
Context
The horticultural sector accounts for almost a quarter of global agricultural production value. Fruits and vegetables are essential sources of vitamins, minerals, and dietary diversity, while horticultural value chains offer significant opportunities for smallholder farmers and agribusinesses. However, the sector faces growing environmental and climate challenges, including water scarcity, inefficient irrigation, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate change further threatens production through rising temperatures, droughts, floods and more frequent extreme weather events, while the perishability of horticultural products increases the risk of post-harvest losses and food waste. Addressing these challenges requires the adoption of resource-efficient technologies, sustainable production practices and improved storage, handling, and logistics to reduce environmental impacts and strengthen the resilience of horticultural value chains.
Under the ACES initiative, the EBRD and FAO provide high-level insights into environmental sustainability challenges, opportunities, and emerging solutions. The project also aims to generate practical knowledge to inform investment decisions and promote the sustainable development of the sector.
In Uzbekistan, where a particular focus will be placed, the horticultural value chain is a major contributor to the national economy, employment and export earnings.
Fruits and vegetables are the third most important export revenue-generating sector in the country, with around USD 1.1–1.2 billion worth of foreign sales. They also account for about 70 percent of overall agrifood exports. Domestic trade of fresh produce was estimated at around USD 4 billion in 2024, fueling the development of related sectors, including suppliers of specialized equipment, packaging providers, wholesalers and retailers. The sector is experiencing rapid growth and, at the same time, it is facing important challenges related to its environmental sustainability.
Addressing these issues through the adoption of sustainable practices and resource-efficient technologies is therefore essential for maintaining the long-term growth and competitiveness of the sector. The project will also look at institutional constraints such as the limited organization of industry stakeholders, which hinders the uptake and coordination of sustainability initiatives.
Activities
Green transition of key global agrifood chains
- Identify the key environmental and climate issues of the horticultural value chain.
- Prepare analysis and recommendations to inform private sector companies about the main environmental issues affecting the horticultural value chain and how they are tackled by other relevant stakeholders.
- Organize dialogues involving horticultural value chain players to discuss environmental issues in the selected value chain, share experiences and advise on best practices to solve or tackle the issues.
- Organize knowledge exchange visits to inform private sector companies about best environmental practices.
Greening the horticultural value chain in Uzbekistan
- Identify environmental sustainability issues along the Uzbekistani horticultural value chain and assess their impacts.
- Identify a set of solutions, involving practices and technologies, for the key identified environmental sustainability issues and determine their applicability within the specific environmental, social and financial conditions of Uzbekistan.
- Develop briefs about opportunities to improve the environmental sustainability of fresh produce logistics and communicate the findings with policymakers, as well as with the wholesale and retail trade, and other participants of the value chain.
- Find pioneers implementing modern efficient solutions within the value chain and share their success stories.
- Organize a knowledge exchange visit for industry innovators and policymakers to countries with advanced sustainability approaches.
- Develop a roadmap for greening the horticultural value chain in Uzbekistan, showing potential economic benefits and assessing investment needs to deploy identified technologies, and discuss it with key industry stakeholders.
- Assess gaps and risks in achieving environmental objectives (water stress, pollution, etc.) and recommend interventions to mitigate these risks (policy, governance, technology deployment, etc.).
