CIMMYT and the Government of Uzbekistan have signed an 18-month bridge phase agreement to modernize the country's wheat sector. The Advancing Wheat Innovation and Capacity in Uzbekistan (AWIC-UZ) bridge phase will introduce elite wheat germplasm, strengthen national breeding capacity, address priority disease threats — including yellow rust, soil-borne pathogens, and Fusarium head blight — and connect Uzbekistan to the global wheat disease surveillance and advisory system. The agreement lays the groundwork for a larger, follow-on partnership focused on food security and climate resilience across Central Asia.