From greenhouses to family businesses, entrepreneurship reshapes rural livelihoods

In a small greenhouse in Uzbekistan’s Fergana region, rows of tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh herbs grow under plastic covers stretched across a modest plot. For farmer and beekeeper O‘lmasjon Jumayev, the greenhouse has become a stable source of income, expanded gradually over more than a decade.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

“We started with a small greenhouse built through a 5 million soum (€370) preferential loan,” Jumayev said. “At first, it was just 70 square metres. Then we expanded step by step.”

He began greenhouse farming in 2013. Over time, the family expanded into vegetable production and beekeeping. What started with a few beehives has now grown into nearly 1,000 bee colonies.

“We never stay unemployed,” he added. “We create work for ourselves, and it supports our household.”

Small-scale entrepreneurship has become a central part of Uzbekistan’s poverty reduction efforts, combining social support programmes with job creation and household business development, according to the Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction

According to government figures, 8 million people have moved out of poverty over the past nine years, reducing the national poverty rate from 35% to 6.8%. Authorities say preferential loans, subsidies and vocational training programmes have supported hundreds of thousands of small businesses across the country.

At the centre of the approach is the “From Poverty to Prosperity” programme, which focuses on helping families build sustainable income through self-employment, training and access to finance. The programme combines preferential loans, subsidies, vocational education and mahalla-level support systems designed to help low-income households develop stable micro-businesses.

Building income at the household level

Gulnoza Alimova, head of the press service at the ministry,said more than 760,000 families received individual development plans in 2025 alone, tailored to local economic conditions and household skills. More than 523,000 low-income households received support, including job placement assistance, entrepreneurship programmes and vocational training.

Authorities allocated more than 2.2 trillion soums (over €162 million) in loans and 265 billion soums (€19.6 million) in subsidies to support small businesses and micro-projects. Officials say more than 700,000 entrepreneurs have established stable businesses over the past eight years, supported by reforms aimed at improving access to finance and simplifying regulations.

“Entrepreneurs themselves help generate jobs and incomes for people in need,” said Gulnoza Alimova.

Traditional cuisine creates jobs in Samarkand

In the Samarkand region, entrepreneurship is also expanding through tourism and traditional cuisine.

Entrepreneur Fazilat Jo‘rayeva introduced a yurt-style dining concept in the Pastdarg‘om district, serving traditional Uzbek dishes to travellers passing through the area.

“We wanted to create something different,” she said. “People stop here, eat traditional food and experience local culture.”

The business now employs around 35 people, mostly women, who prepare meals such as somsa, patir bread and seasonal dishes. According to Jo‘rayeva, around 100 families benefit indirectly through suppliers and related services.

“People finish work in the afternoon and return home with a stable income,” she said.

Livestock farming expands in rural areas

In the Surkhandarya region, livestock farming has become another source of rural income and small business activity.

Entrepreneur Akmal Nazarov began cattle breeding in 2022 after receiving a state-supported loan.

“We paid off the loan within two years,” he said. “Now we are working with profit.”

The family supplies meat to local markets and continues expanding livestock production while operating several small outlets.

“We work on this business all year round,” Nazarov said.

Officials say livestock and household farming programmes are increasingly being used in rural areas to support self-employment and small-scale entrepreneurship.

The role of mahallas

Much of Uzbekistan’s poverty reduction system operates through the mahalla structure, where local assistant hokims connect residents to training programmes, financial support and business opportunities.

In the Pastdarg‘om district, assistant hokim Jahongir Normo‘minov said local authorities focused on sectors linked to regional demand and export potential.

“Our main specialisation is export-oriented cherry production,” he said. “We also developed metal manufacturing as another source of employment.”

According to him, the number of small businesses in the mahalla increased from 18 to 61 within a year. Authorities say roadside services and household farming activities have also expanded.

“Before starting any project, we first study the market,” Normo‘minov said. “Only after that do we support residents.”

He added that many families increased agricultural production on small household plots after receiving support through local programmes.

“Two years ago, poverty in this mahalla was around 19%,” he said. “Today it is 2.9%.”

In Surkhandarya, governor assistant Farrukh Shoqambarov said livestock and agricultural programmes are helping unemployed residents build skills and income sources.

“The mahalla has more than 5,500 residents and focuses mainly on livestock and farming,” he said. “People come here to learn and start their own businesses.”

Infrastructure and digital systems

Growth in entrepreneurship is also supported by investment in irrigation systems, electricity networks and water supply infrastructure in low-income mahallas, said Alimova. Authorities say these upgrades have made it easier for households to expand farming, greenhouse production and livestock activities.

Uzbekistan is also expanding digital monitoring systems through the “Online Mahalla” platform, which tracks household income, local support programmes and micro-projects in real time. Officials say the platform is designed to improve coordination between local authorities and social support systems.

Uzbekistan has declared 2026 the “Year of Mahalla Development and Community Support” as the government continues expanding programmes linked to employment, entrepreneurship and local economic development.

For entrepreneurs such as Jumayev, however, the focus remains less on policy and more on daily work. Inside his greenhouse in Fergana, the next planting season is already underway.