The project is part of a broader EU-funded program to support Uzbekistan's transition to a sustainable, climate-neutral economy. The workshop aims to strengthen the country's capacity to protect public health and the environment through improved chemical analysis and monitoring systems, bringing together key stakeholders from public and private laboratories across the country.

The event was attended by representatives of various government agencies, including the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, the Ministry of Health represented by the Sanitary and Epidemiological Committee, and the Agency for Plant Protection and Quarantine, as well as private sector laboratories. During the seminar, critical issues in Uzbekistan's laboratory network were discussed, with special attention paid to equipment modernization, staff training  and interagency cooperation.

It was noted that FAO had conducted a basic laboratory assessment, which showed that although the country had a network of specialized laboratories in ministries, academic institutions and the private sector, these institutions faced significant operational and strategic challenges, which the workshop was aimed at addressing.

In his speech,  Stephen Robinson, FAO project’s senior technical advisor, emphasizes the strategic importance of this initiative: "Uzbekistan stands at a crucial juncture in modernizing its pesticide management system. Our analysis shows that strategic consolidation of laboratory infrastructure, coupled with focused capacity building in specific chemical analysis areas like food safety and pesticide residue testing, would significantly strengthen the country's analytical capabilities. By identifying and investing in institutions with the strongest foundation, we can create centers of excellence that serve both regulatory needs and support agricultural development. This approach would create a more efficient and sustainable system connecting farmers, markets, and regulatory bodies”.

The technical assessment reflects the systemic problems faced by the laboratory sector in Uzbekistan. As was stressed during the workshop, most laboratories were established through government initiatives without sustainable business models, leading to operational difficulties in procuring essential materials and retaining qualified staff. Despite holding ISO 17025:2019 certification, many facilities struggle to meet international accreditation standards due to financial constraints and operational limitations. The current landscape reveals a complex interplay between various institutional laboratories. Government facilities under the Ministries each maintain specialized focuses on food safety, environmental monitoring, and pesticide residue analysis. Meanwhile, private and academic laboratories complement these efforts with research and quality control services in agricultural and environmental science.

 

The National Project Coordinator, Elmurod Nazarov, emphasizes the institutional framework supporting these improvements: "Effective pesticide management in Uzbekistan requires seamless coordination across our entire institutional framework. From the Cabinet of Ministers' oversight of waste management programs to specialized monitoring by our health, ecology, environmental protection, and climate change ministries, each institution plays a vital role in this complex ecosystem. The Central Analytical Control Service's laboratory monitoring works in tandem with the Sanitary and Epidemiological Committee's public health surveillance, while the Agency for Quarantine and Plant Protection ensures agricultural safety through comprehensive pesticide residue analysis in plants. By strengthening these interconnections and aligning our laboratory practices with international standards, we build a more robust and integrated system for protecting both our environment and the people". 

The participants raised issues of a comprehensive baseline assessment conducted by FAO at the end of 2024, which examined laboratories capable of analyzing pesticides, fertilizers and residues in food and the environment. This assessment, combined with work by the International Trade Centre (ITC) on laboratory accreditation, informs the development of a strategic roadmap for laboratory capacity building in Uzbekistan. The recommendations for transforming laboratory operations, including the development of sustainable business models that account for operational costs, staff incentives, and infrastructure improvements were also central points to the workshop. 

The event ended with the participants being provided with practical experience of the laboratory's current activities and future development opportunities, as well as a guided tour of the laboratory of the Center for Specialized Analytical Control in the Field of Environmental Protection.