Political Economy of the Wheat Sector in Uzbekistan Seed Systems, Variety Adoption and Impacts
Agriculture plays an important role in the economy of Uzbekistan contributing 16%
to GDP and 44% to employment. Uzbekistan has a land area of 44.8 million ha, of
which about 4.5 million ha is arable, and 4 million ha is irrigated. Main cultivated crops
are cotton, wheat, barley, rice, maize, potatoes, and horticultural crops (vegetables and
fruits). The population of Uzbekistan was estimated at 34 million in 2019 and continues
to grow at a rate of 1.67% per year (WB, 2019). Currently, an estimated 18 million