Newsletter: highlights of agriculture in Central Asia
In this first edition of this newsletter, we dive into the vibrant agricultural scene of Central Asia, showcasing the latest policies and developments from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Kazakhstan: Strategic Blueprint for Growth and Sustainability
Agriculture remains at the forefront of President Tokayev's reshuffled government agenda. Key elements include:
- Investments in digitalization and support for small businesses.
- Emphasis on diversification with a focus on processed agricultural goods.
- Achieving a 6% annual GDP growth, surpassing last year's 5.1% growth rate.
- Special focus on agricultural sector improvements and doubling the volume of gross agricultural output.
- Rational use of land and water: increasing the area of irrigated land to 150 thousand hectares per year using water-saving technologies.
Empowering Kazakhstan's Small-Scale Farmers with the Eurasian Foundation of Central Asia's Support
Eurasian Foundation of Central Asia is actively contributing to the empowerment of small-scale farmers in Kazakhstan through various initiatives.
- Capacity building: Training programs in vegetable growing, sales, marketing, and sustainable practices are elevating farmers' skills.
- Agribusiness innovation: The creation of an agribusiness center offers pilot testing and demonstrations to farmers and stakeholders.
- Collaborative networks: Establishing cooperatives for farmers fosters synergy and facilitates scaling operations.
- Business development support: Coaching and mentoring assist farmers in commercializing their businesses.
- Financial accessibility: Facilitating access to seed funding ensures that farmers have the necessary resources to thrive.
Uzbekistan on Track for Meeting WTO Obligations
Uzbekistan is making significant progress in aligning its agricultural practices with international benchmarks, crucial for meeting WTO obligations.
- Advances in food safety legislation: The much-anticipated draft Food Safety Law, in sync with the WTO's SPS Agreement and the Codex Alimentarius, has inaugurated the parliamentary process towards its approval.
- Enhancing technical capacity in the areas of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) issues and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) lately gathered momentum. A series of specialized training workshops concluded with insights into best practices for setting standards and funding national standards bodies.
Gateway to Global Markets for Fruits and Vegetables from Uzbekistan
Currently, Uzbekistan received 620 phytosanitary permits, opening doors to agricultural exports to 80 countries.
- The NPPO of Uzbekistan cooperates with 119 countries through the ePhyto Solution, an international system for exchanging electronic phytosanitary certificates.
- In 2023 alone, Uzbekistan produced a remarkable 23 million tons of fruits and vegetables, signaling strong export potential for increased global presence.
Agricultural Cooperatives in Kyrgyzstan Boosted by the Dutch Expertise
The Embassy of the Netherlands in Central Asia provided support to the project on capacity building of agricultural cooperatives in Kyrgyzstan.
- Local partner Agroconsultancy Agrolead organised a dynamic seminar, engaging 100 local farmers to enhance their agricultural practices.
- The Dutch agricultural expert shared valuable insights with the farmers and made visits to local cooperatives, fostering international collaboration.
- The Kyrgyz government continues its committed efforts to expand agricultural production, aiming for broader economic impacts.
GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT: Central Asia Hosted CMS COP14
February 2024 marked a milestone as Samarkand, Uzbekistan, hosted the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14). This was the first COP of any global environmental treaty to take place in Central Asia.
- The meeting underscored pivotal role of the region in global environmental conservation efforts, with a focus on the preservation of migratory species and their habitats.
- With the successful conclusion of CMS COP14, the Government of Uzbekistan proudly assumes the CMS COP Presidency, ready to propel conservation efforts forward over the next three years.
LNV team Astana looks forward to bringing you more updates and developments from this region in our next edition!