Title Pending

This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.Uzbekistan’s agricultural sector is vulnerable to climate change because of the geographical location and aridness of the climate. In some parts of the country summer temperature may reach +44-45°C and winter temperature -25-30°C. In the last twenty years, average temperature increased by more than 1°C (Uzhydromet & UNDP Uzbekistan 2015). 90 percent of agricultural land in Uzbekistan is irrigated, making the sector very much dependent on water availability, especially in peak summer months. Water has become more scarce in summer months when it is most needed due to the changes in precipitation patterns in the region – more rain and snow are falling in spring and early summer months, and less in winter months. This also means that Central Asia is having more rainfall and less snow compared to the second half of 20th century. Climate change and the resulting melting of glaciers and loss of ice cover over time have had consequences for water use and agriculture in the region (Luterbacher et al., 2008). What can and should policymakers do? Climate change challenges are best addressed by dissecting them for different circumstances and different time lengths. A set of policies should differentiate policies for lowlands and highlands, deserts/steppe and piedmonts/highlands, short-term and long-term. However, some general mitigation and adaptation policies and priorities can still be developed to better address the challenges associated with the climate change. In particular, the government, farmers and private sector should consider several measures as a priority.

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