Large, flavorful tomatoes ripen in Odina Sattorova’s backyard greenhouse in Uzbekistan’s Ferghana Valley. Their perfect shape, rich colour and smooth texture – undeniable indicators of quality – are the result of many days of intensive work in the greenhouse. Odina, who has worked in greenhouses taking care of seedlings and helping harvest grapes since she was young, was used to this kind of hard work. Her family relied on agriculture to earn their living.

But this now 43-year-old woman farmer has learned that there are new “smart” farming techniques that reduce labour and markedly increase productivity and profitability. The facts speak for themselves. Today, Odina grows about 400 kilograms of tomatoes per week during the harvest season, whereas before, she hardly produced even 120 kilograms. Along with the quantity, the quality of the product has also improved. The fruits are consistently smooth, large and more flavorful than the previous ones.

Odina learned to utilize these transformative techniques through the project, “Smart Farming for the Future Generation”, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). With financial support from the Republic of Korea, this project was launched in 2021 in Uzbekistan and Viet Nam to introduce new growing methods and tools that decrease water consumption and labour, while increasing yields, crop quality and incomes.

The project introduced simple innovations in water management, pest control and greenhouse improvements, such as the use of a plastic shade net, instead of the traditional clay cover, on top of the greenhouse to keep it from overheating. The new plastic film is not only more durable but it also absorbs ultraviolet radiation and prevents condensation on the inside of the greenhouse.

Of all the tools introduced by the project, Odina considers the drip irrigation system the most useful and effective one. The irrigation system includes a fertilization mechanism, which allows her to provide nutrients to the crops. The system also measures the salinity and acidity of the water and, most importantly, regulates its use, saving this valuable resource.