The event discussed promising projects within the framework of the FAO-Kazakhstan Partnership Program with the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Vice Minister of Agriculture Ermek Kenzhekhanuly thanked the FAO Bureau for organizing the event.
“Kazakhstan, being a member of FAO since 1997, fruitfully cooperates in the field of agricultural development and food security. The FAO Liaison and Partnership Office in Astana is successfully functioning. Since 2024, funding for the current Kazakhstan-FAO Partnership Programme in Agriculture has begun. At the first meeting of the Steering Committee, two projects were approved: “National Initiative “Kazakhstan Varieties and Seeds” and “Technologies for the Conservation and Efficient Use of Degraded Lands”. Their implementation will begin in the near future,” the Vice Minister said in his welcoming speech.
FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia Viorel Gutu noted Kazakhstan’s significant potential in the agro-industrial sector and stressed the importance of expanding cooperation for sustainable rural development.
“Kazakhstan is a highly developed agricultural country: about 44 percent of its land is allocated for agriculture, and almost three quarters of this area are pastures. Indeed, Kazakhstan ranks fifth in the world in terms of the area of natural pastures and first in the world in terms of the number of twenty hectares per capita. These lands are a resource that must be preserved and ensured for future generations. However, overexploitation, decreased soil fertility due to wind, water erosion, dangerous dust storms and the impact of climate change have led to land degradation and deterioration of soil fertility. Remote pastures suffer from problems with water availability. Today, we must pay attention to possible project work to reverse pasture degradation and the optimal approach to preserving biodiversity, applying water-saving technologies and protecting ecosystem services,” said Mr. Viorel Gutu.
Kazakhstan is actively introducing innovative technologies in agriculture, improving access to financing and investment. The FAO-Kazakhstan partnership program is aimed at improving food security, digitalization of agribusiness, sustainable resource management and development of export potential. This will contribute to sustainable growth of food security and improvement of the quality of life of the rural population,” said Viorel Gutu.
FAO provides technical support in the development of strategic documents, including the Concept for the Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex until 2030 and the National Project for the Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex for 2021–2025. Since 2024, the Kazakhstan–FAO Partnership Programme has been funding initiatives in the field of seed production and restoration of degraded lands. FAO is currently implementing 55 technical assistance projects in Kazakhstan.
Ermek Kenzhekhanuly emphasized that the Ministry plans to participate in FAO initiatives aimed at digitalization of the agro-industrial complex, increasing soil fertility, rational use of water resources and the introduction of innovative technologies.
The development of carbon farming and sustainable management of soil resources, projects to reduce methane emissions in agriculture are also a priority.
“We are ready for active cooperation with FAO and other international partners to develop targeted projects, attract climate financing and implement advanced solutions in the agricultural sector of Kazakhstan,” the Vice Minister summed up.
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/moa/press/news/details/952120?lang=ru