The proposed RESP II follows and builds upon the experience and success of RESP I which supported farmers in 5 pilot districts through the privatization and restructuring of farming and associated agribusiness activities. The RESP II will scale up the support to about 90 districts in seven regions so as to increase yields and to improve access to agricultural mechanization and business advisory services. It will also increase the farmers’ access to non government sources of finance.

Loup Brefort, the World Bank’s Country Manager for Uzbekistan, said: "Agriculture has always been a major component of the Uzbek economy and has great social importance. Uzbekistan is blessed with rich agriculture and, at a time when the risk of food crisis in some part of the world is making news headlines, it becomes all the more important to further strengthen and develop its potential. The Project is designed to accompany the bold reforms implemented in the sector by the Government, in particular the leaseholding of former Shyrkat land to private individuals, and is a first contribution under the recently approved World Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy 2008-2011 (CAS) to support the objectives of the Welfare Improvement Strategy of Uzbekistan."

There are three main components to the project:

- rural enterprise finance

- irrigation and drainage

- rural training and advisory services

By the time the Project is completed, the farmers of 90 districts in seven regions of Uzbekistan will have access to project credit lines and training, and farmers and Water Users Associations (WUA) will have access to capacity building and training for WUA operations and to a number of demonstration plots for improved management practices. Additionally, investments will be made in on-farm and inter-farm drainage and irrigation infrastructure.

Uzbekistan joined the World Bank in 1992. The World Bank’s mission in the country is to improve people’s livelihoods through being a partner in economic reforms, supporting the modernization of the country’s social sectors and infrastructure, and sharing its knowledge and experience with the government and the people of Uzbekistan.

Total World Bank commitments to Uzbekistan amount to US$ 650 million.