Kazakhstan and FAO continue to strengthen ties
Kazakhstan plans to implement over 600 investment projects in its agro-industrial sector over the next three years, totaling $4.8 billion. Attention is paid to the implementation of joint projects within the framework of the Kazakhstan-FAO Partnership Program. The organisation's portfolio in the country consists of 55 projects.
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov discussed these plans in a meeting with the Head of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Qu Dongyu, with Viorel Gutu, Deputy Director General and FAO Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, emphasizing cooperation in agriculture and water resources.
Kazakhstan aims to increase agricultural product processing and exports, positioning itself as a leader in the production of cereals and oilseeds in Central Asia. The FAO is a key partner in these efforts, supporting initiatives in food security, digitalization, resource management, and rural development.
Kazakhstan ranks 32nd out of 113 in the global food security index. Domestic agricultural products are exported to 80 countries around the world. Last year, as a result of the measures taken to support the agro-industrial complex, gross output increased by 13.7%.
Kazakhstan is also modernizing its water sector, with large-scale projects like the construction of 20 new and reconstruction of at least 15 existing reservoirs, as well as the reconstruction and digitalisation of more than 3.5 thousand km of irrigation channels. Additionally, the country is addressing environmental issues in the Caspian Sea through international cooperation.
Recent changes in investment subsidies include reimbursement for sugar factory expansions, and the government has allocated more than 116 billion tenge for supporting domestic farmers.
Source: Kapital (Kazakhstan).