Novkent
Pilot village under the FAO Digital Villages Initiative (DVI)
Description
Located in Uzbekistan's Fergana Valley, Novkent village was one of the first pilot Digital Villages in the country, alongside the adjacent Yuksalish village. The village of 568 households is spread across an area of 160 ha, with a local economy that is based primarily on agriculture. Local farmers focus on cultivating raspberries, lemons and vegetables, often utilizing greenhouses. Under FAO’s Digital Villages Initiative (DVI) and more specifically the “Piloting Digital Villages in Central Asia” project (FVC/GLO/171/MUL), young people in the village have participated in a special innovation programme aimed at equipping them with coding skills, fostering collaboration with farmers and the development of innovations. Worthy of note among these innovations are the cost-effective yet high-quality IoT sensors that have been designed specifically for small greenhouse owners. To disseminate valuable agricultural knowledge, YouTube and Telegram channels have been established that serve as repositories for best agriculture practices, allowing for dynamic exchanges among community members. Furthermore, the rural community has embraced various capacity development and living labs initiatives to come up with practical solutions to the challenges faced by the community. Finally, a twinning programme has facilitated exchanges of knowledge with Tajikistan, promoting cross-cultural learning and collaboration between the two regions.
Technology
In Novkent and throughout the Fergana Valley, smart sensors incorporating Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and open-source systems are being tested in greenhouses, offering data on temperature, light, humidity and soil moisture in the greenhouses, and allowing the automated control of irrigation systems. The gathered information allows farmers to make informed decisions by making use of a Telegram bot as a simple interface. Complementing these advancements, a “digital hub” utilizes channels on Telegram and YouTube designed specifically for the sharing of agricultural knowledge and information that caters to the specific needs of farmers.
Target
Small-scale farmers, women, and young people are the primary target groups within rural communities. Tailored activities were developed to address the unique needs of these groups, including a dedicated innovation programme for young people and living labs exclusively for women.
Business model
Impact
The introduction of several digital innovations, including low-cost smart sensors and knowledge-sharing platforms, has had a transformative impact on the rural communities in Novkent and the broader Fergana Valley. Small-scale farmers, and women and young people in particular, have been the main beneficiaries of these initiatives. Through targeted programmes such as innovation sessions targeting young people and women-only living labs, the community has witnessed a positive upturn. Smallholder farmers are now equipped with such advanced tools as IoT sensors that support their enabling data-driven decisions in greenhouse management. Additionally, the establishment of a “digital hub” on platforms like Telegram and YouTube has facilitated the exchange of crucial agricultural knowledge.
Partners
FAO; AKIS Fergana; CGIAR; Fergana State University; IT-Park; OSCE Project Co-ordinator
Four Betters
Better production
Better environment
Better life
