Cost-Benefit Analysis of Conservation Agriculture Implementation in Syrdarya Province of Uzbekistan

Abstract

Abstract Most irrigated lands of Central Asia suffer from land degradation, and unsustainable agricultural practices are one of the factors contributing to land degradation. Conservation agriculture (CA) is seen as a way to mitigate land degradation and rationalize resource use. The aim of this article is to investigate the efficiency of CA implementation in the Syrdarya province of Uzbekistan, Central Asia by carrying out a cost-benefit analysis (CBA). The CBA was conducted for a hypothetical situation where the farm decides to switch from conventional agriculture to CA. Unlike the previous studies, this study investigates complete crop rotation cycle in the long-term period. The study outcomes suggest that investment in CA implementation results in positive incremental benefit if the advantages of CA are monetized.