Editing Uyghurs (section)

=== Livelihood ===
[[File:Uyghur women on their way to work, Kashgar. 2011.jpg|thumb|Uyghur women on their way to work in Kashgar, 2011]]

Most Uyghurs are agriculturists.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}} Cultivating crops in an arid region has made the Uyghurs excel in irrigation techniques. This includes the construction and maintenance of underground channels called ''karez'' that brings water from the mountains to their fields. A few of the well-known agricultural goods include apples (especially from [[Yining|Ghulja]]), sweet melons (from [[Hami]]), and grapes from [[Turpan]]. However, many Uyghurs are also employed in the mining, manufacturing, cotton, and petrochemical industries. Local handicrafts like rug-weaving and jade-carving are also important to the cottage industry of the Uyghurs.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Human: The Definitive Visual Guide|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year=2004|isbn=0-7566-0520-2|editor-last=Winston|editor-first=Robert|location=New York|page=447|editor2-last=Wilson|editor2-first=Dr. Don E.}}</ref>

Some Uyghurs have been given jobs through Chinese government affirmative action programs.<ref>{{Cite journal|title= Affirmative Action, Economic Reforms, and Han-Uyghur Variation in Job Attainment in the State Sector in Urumchi.| journal= China Quarterly |edition= no. 2022010: 344–61. |author=Zang, Xiaowei. |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20749382 |date= June 2010| volume= 202 | issue= 202 | pages= 344–361 | doi= 10.1017/S0305741010000275 | jstor= 20749382 | s2cid= 155040095 }}</ref> Uyghurs may also have difficulty receiving non-interest loans (per Islamic beliefs).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cao |first1=Chunfang |last2=Chan |first2=Kam C. |last3=Hou |first3=Wenxuan |last4=Jia |first4=Fansheng |date=3 October 2019 |title=Does religion matter to informal finance? Evidence from trade credit in China |url=https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/78769132/CaoEtalRN2019DoesReligionMatter.pdf |journal=[[Regional Studies (journal)|Regional Studies]] |publication-place=[[University of Edinburgh]] |volume=53 |issue=10 |pages=1410–1420 |doi=10.1080/00343404.2019.1575506 |bibcode=2019RegSt..53.1410C |hdl-access=free |s2cid=158546228 |hdl=20.500.11820/004e1138-77cb-40a3-bf73-76caa787e700}}</ref> The general lack of Uyghur proficiency in Mandarin Chinese also creates a barrier to access private and public sector jobs.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Harlan |first1=Tyler |last2=Webber |first2=Michael |title=New corporate Uyghur entrepreneurs in Urumqi, China |journal=Central Asian Survey |date=June 2012 |volume=31 |issue=2 |pages=175–191 |doi=10.1080/02634937.2012.671993 |s2cid=143826394 }}</ref>