Fairtrade NAPP Supports Smallholder Farmers in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to Build on Their Water Management Expertise
Over one week in May 2026, 82 farmers from four Fairtrade producer organisations in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan took part in hands-on training on water-saving technologies, organised by Fairtrade NAPP.
Water Has Become the Hardest Crop to Grow
In the cotton fields of Samarkand and Qashkadarya and the orchards of Yovon and Zafarabad, water is no longer something farmers can take for granted. As supplies tighten and seasons grow less predictable, knowing exactly how much water a crop needs, and how to lose less of it, has become as important as the harvest itself. In May 2026, 82 farmers from four Fairtrade producer organisations across Uzbekistan and Tajikistan came together to build precisely that knowledge.
The training, on Water Saving Technologies, was organised by Fairtrade NAPP between 20 and 26 May 2026. Rather than one large gathering, a separate one-day session was held for each organisation in its own location, so the learning stayed close to the crops, conditions and soils each group actually farms. The farmers came from Dustkul Bogi and Turob Bobo in Uzbekistan and Green Agriculture and the Biokishovarz cooperative in Tajikistan, and grow cotton, dried fruit and nuts. Of the 82 who took part, 32 were women and 50 were men.
From Guesswork to Numbers: Farmers Measure Their Own Water Use
The change farmers valued most was learning to measure water rather than estimate it. During the practical part of each session, farmers measured water use in their own plots and saw, in real figures, how much was being applied and where it was being wasted. That single skill turns water from an invisible cost into something a farmer can track and adjust season after season, giving each organisation a simple, repeatable way to spot over-watering before it drains both the field and the budget.
Choosing the Right Technology, Not Just Any Technology
Water-saving tools only pay off when they match the crop and the conditions. In the theoretical and hands-on components, farmers compared different water-saving technologies side by side and worked through how each one performs in practice. Because they did the comparison themselves rather than being handed a recommendation, farmers left able to judge which approaches suit cotton versus orchard crops, and better placed to invest in technology that genuinely fits their land instead of following a one-size-fits-all fix.
Holding the Soil in Place
Water and soil are managed together, and the training treated them that way. Sessions on soil erosion prevention covered how land preparation, planting and fertility choices either protect or expose the soil that water has to pass through. For farmers, healthier soil that holds moisture longer means less water needed to achieve the same growth, and a clearer understanding of how everyday field decisions add up to long-term land health.
Turning Waste into a Resource
The training also looked at what happens to what the farm discards. Through the sessions on sustainable waste management, including composting, and on safe waste water management, farmers explored how organic waste can be returned to the soil and how waste water can be handled without harming the land. These practices help close the loop on the farm, reducing what is thrown away while feeding the soil that retains water, and they connect directly to the Good Agricultural Practices that underpin Fairtrade Standards.
Women and Men Learning Side by Side
The knowledge did not reach only part of the community. Women made up 39 percent of participants and men 61 percent, and at Turob Bobo and Dustkul Bogi women were among the largest groups in the room. Bringing women and men into the same practical sessions means water-saving decisions can be shared across the households and plots that make up each organisation, rather than resting with a few. Inclusive participation like this strengthens how widely the new practices can spread once the season is underway.
In Their Own Words
“One of the most useful parts of the training was the practical session, where we learned how to measure water use and compare different water-saving technologies ourselves. The knowledge gained will help us use water more efficiently and improve our farming practices.”
- Rahmat Melikov, farmer, Dustkul Bogi, Uzbekistan
“As both a production manager and a cotton specialist, I found the training highly valuable in combining scientific knowledge with practical field application. The sessions on water measurement and water-saving technologies provided useful insights that can support more efficient and sustainable cotton production practices among farmers.”
- Akbarkhon Mansurov, production manager and cotton specialist, Biokishovarz cooperative, Tajikistan
Where the Learning Goes from Here
The training is the start of a season-long effort, not a one-off event. Over the coming agricultural season, follow-up will include monitoring how farmers apply the water-saving practices on their own plots, offering technical guidance where it is needed, and organising further knowledge-sharing sessions so farmers can compare results and learn from one another. This ongoing support is what turns a week of training into lasting changes in how water is managed across the four organisations.
For Fairtrade NAPP, the activity is part of a wider commitment to work alongside producer organisations in Central Asia as they adapt to growing pressure on water. The progress made in May 2026 is real, and there is more to do: practices still need to be embedded across every plot, and results tracked over time. The next sessions will build on this foundation.
