АSTANA, January 28. /Dunyo IA/. Starting in 2026, 4,000 low-income families in Uzbekistan will receive 50 sotok (approximately 0.5 hectares) of land each for a period of 10 years to cultivate mulberry trees and develop sericulture, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing information from “inbusiness.kz”.

The report notes that the government will cover part of the costs for seedlings, trellises and drip irrigation systems, and will also provide subsidies and interest-free loans to support production development.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev highlighted that in 2025, Uzbekistan’s economy grew by 7.7%, with GDP reaching USD 147 billion, investments totaling USD 43 billion and exports approaching USD 34 billion. Over the course of the year, 366,000 families were lifted out of poverty, bringing the national poverty rate down to 5.8%.

The article emphasizes the central role of local communities (mahallas) in the reform agenda: regional governors (hokims) will bear personal responsibility for employment and household incomes, while project teams and farmer mentorship systems are being introduced to ensure sustainable development at the community level.

Special attention is also given to the energy sector, with plans to establish solar power plants in “disadvantaged” mahallas, the revenues from which will be reinvested to meet local needs.

Looking ahead, the government aims to create employment for an additional 1 million people in 2026, lift 181,000 more families out of poverty, and reduce both poverty and unemployment rates to 4.5%, the agency concludes.