Author: Yuldosheva, Bibirajab; Muhiddinova, Charos

Annotation: This article examines the agricultural policies implemented by the Russian Empire in Turkestan following its colonization, focusing in particular on the strategic and economic interest in “white gold” – cotton. It analyzes the establishment of a cotton monoculture and its far-reaching consequences for the local agrarian structure and food security. The forced prioritization of cotton cultivation led to a drastic reduction in food production, weakening of peasant economies, and serious ecological issues, including the shrinking of the Aral Sea and the salinization of arable lands. Furthermore, the article explores how these developments negatively affected the livelihood of the local population. Drawing upon historical-legal sources, the study reveals the broader agrarian, socio-economic, and environmental impacts of Russian colonial policy in the region.

Keywords: Turkestan region, “white gold” policy, cotton monoculture, Tsarist Russia's agrarian policy, land and water reforms, agricultural economy, Aral Sea crisis, food insecurity, colonial agricultural pressure, socio-ecological consequences

Pages in journal: 676 - 682