Extension services start to emerge in recent years but their impact on the production efficiency of women farmers is not empirically assessed in Central Asia. This paper investigates the role of extension services in improving female farmers’ technical efficiency scores while analyzing the...

In contrast to most Central, Eastern and Southeastern European (CESEE) economies, Central Asia (CA) - comprising Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - has witnessed quite robust demographic as well as economic growth in the period from 2019 to 2024. This period was...

In Uzbekistan, land is more appropriate for cultivating fruits and vegetables. Since independence, the government of Uzbekistan has implemented a number of agricultural policies such as making some crucial structural reforms at the farms, comprising different institutions and enhancing...

Central Asian economies, particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, are pursuing increasingly ambitious goals for renewable energy. Apart from China - an established player in the market - it has increasingly been Gulf countries that have been implementing respective projects, particularly Saudi...

In 2018, Uzbekistan initiated a clustering policy in the national cotton sector. Based on case studies, this paper investigates the recent changes in cotton production under the emerging clusters. Our findings show a mismatch between the meaning of clusters in the industrial policy literature...

Purpose: This review aims to evaluate recent evidence on the real-world effectiveness of food safety management systems (FSMS), including third-party certification, HACCP programs, and training initiatives, particularly in developing countries, with a specific focus on the case study of...

At the request of the authorities, a joint World Bank-IMF technical assistance (TA) mission visited Tashkent, Uzbekistan during October 9-20, 2023 to help the authorities in developing a mediumterm debt management strategy (MTDS), designing an Annual Borrowing Plan (ABP), and to train the...

The government of Uzbekistan engaged the World Bank and partners to support the development of a National Health System Strategy for Uzbekistan. This document presents a series of interconnected outputs from this process, namely: (i) the Background Papers, eight of which focus on a single...

Uzbekistan's economic story over the past seven years is a captivating one of transition and reform; however, the country is not yet enjoying the full economic returns from these efforts. This report shows how to spur faster growth by improving the functioning of domestic markets and their...

This study explores the socio-economic impacts of ecotourism on local employment and income in the rural areas of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. By surveying 167 participants, including stakeholders involved in ecotourism and local community members, the research investigates the contributions of...

The Technical Assistance (TA) mission, conducted in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from August 21 to 31, 2023, assisted the Central Bank of Uzbekistan's (CBU) authorities in developing their stress testing (ST) framework for the banking sector. This TA was the second of a multi-mission TA project...

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) utilize private sector expertise, risk sharing, management, and financing to improve public investment. However, these benefits also carry risks. Project level risks include poor selection, optimism bias, off-budget financing, and contract renegotiation....

Uzbekistan has made significant progress in its transition to a market economy since 2017, achieving advancements in macroeconomic stabilization, trade and exchange rate liberalization, price liberalization, and small-scale privatization. Despite these successes, challenges remain in reforming...

This inaugural Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) in Uzbekistan took place against the backdrop of a strong and resilient economy undergoing wide-ranging reforms. The main objectives of the authorities' strategy for developing the banking sector are to significantly increase the role of...

Uzbekistan has made remarkable progress in its transition to a market-oriented economy. Far-reaching economic reforms have transformed the economy and spurred capital inflows which, combined with buoyant remittances and favorable commodity prices, have driven robust growth. The authorities...

This Technical Assistance followed a request by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan for a review of their nowcasting and near-term forecasting system. Over the past few years, the central bank has developed a nowcasting and near-term forecasting entirely with their own resources. The Central Bank's...

This study investigates the application of Factor-Augmented Vector Autoregression (FAVAR) and Bayesian Vector Autoregression (BVAR) models for inflation forecasting. FAVAR models deal with high-dimensional data by extracting latent factors from extensive macroeconomic indicators, while BVAR...

As governments pursue digital transformation to improve service delivery and administrative efficiency, AI chatbots have emerged as a promising innovation in smart public administration. However, their adoption remains limited, particularly in transitioning countries where institutional,...

Central Asian economies, particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, are pursuing increasingly ambitious goals for renewable energy. Apart from China - an established player in the market - it has increasingly been Gulf countries that have been implementing respective projects, particularly Saudi...

The natural rate of interest, often interpreted as the equilibrium real interest rate, serves as a critical benchmark for evaluating the stance of monetary policy. This paper investigates the natural rate of interest in Uzbekistan using three econometric approaches: the HLW-type model1 , a...

In contrast to most Central, Eastern and Southeastern European (CESEE) economies, Central Asia (CA) - comprising Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - has witnessed quite robust demographic as well as economic growth in the period from 2019 to 2024. This period was...

Forecasting banking system liquidity is crucial for the effective monetary policy implementation. This study investigates the effectiveness of various econometric and machine learning models in predicting the autonomous factors of banking system liquidity. The research compares widely used...

As a dynamic driver of globalization, tourism is a rapidly expanding and highly visible sector in the global economy, playing a substantial role in a country's GDP. In recent years, scholars and policymakers have placed growing emphasis on integrating economic, cultural, social, and...

The insurance market in Uzbekistan is characterized by its heavy focus of risk management on strategic crops like cotton and wheat and the very close coupling of insurance with agricultural loans. The majority of farmers who received a subsidized production credit from the agricultural bank...

This study is the first to develop food supply and demand projections over the 21st century for Uzbekistan by considering the combined effects of climate change and soil salinization. The study results suggest that rising summer temperatures and soil salinity will considerably reduce wheat...

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has accelerated global dynamics that profoundly impact the post-Soviet South. Relations with Russia are still strong, but the former subalterns are raising their voices. The empowerment is most visible in their foreign relations, but also tends to strengthen...

Strengthening climate resilience requires farmers to select climate adaptation strategies like weather index insurance. Acknowledging that decision-making is not isolated, this study explores simultaneous peer imitation in climate adaptation choices consisting of index insurance, savings, and...

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has accelerated global dynamics that profoundly impact the post-Soviet South. Relations with Russia are still strong, but the former subalterns are raising their voices. The empowerment is most visible in their foreign relations, but also tends to strengthen...

This study delves into the nuanced realm of medical geography, focusing on the intricate interplay between geographical factors and public health outcomes in the Samarkand and Navoi regions of Uzbekistan. Over the decades, the field of medical geography has evolved, embracing a holistic...

The Country Opinion Survey in Uzbekistan assists the World Bank Group (WBG) in better understanding how stakeholders in Uzbekistan perceive the WBG. It provides the WBG with systematic feedback from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media, academia, the private...

Uzbekistan’s growth momentum continues on the back of far-reaching structural reforms to liberalize its economy, favorable commodity prices, and notable increases in financial and income flows. Leveraging the remarkable progress that has been achieved in the last seven years, the authorities...

The development of cross-border tourism between neighboring countries has become increasingly popular in recent decades. In European countries where the visa-free regime is established, this scheme is well developed and positively affects the development of the country's economy. Developing...

Russia's war against Ukraine and the geopolitical shifts on the Eurasian continent have brought Central Asia back into the focus of Germany and the EU. Germany's strategic regional partnership with Central Asia, which was announced last autumn, offers promising potential for cooperation....

Islamic finance (IF) holds significant potential for economic development and the enhancement of financial inclusion in Uzbekistan. Sukuk, as a key Islamic capital market instrument and Shari'ah-compliant investment alternative, plays an important role in this context. However, the demand for...

Across the globe countries are looking to cut greenhouse gas emissions to reach carbon neutrality and combat climate change. But doing so can be complicated. Countries are putting a price on carbon emissions (or carbon equivalents for other gases). In a landmark pilot in Uzbekistan, the World...

Addressing gender gaps is critical to the success of Uzbekistan's inclusive transformation. Uzbekistan's national income would be about 29 percent higher if women were to participate in equal measure to men. If working women were simply to catch up to the wages earned by men, the increased...