Drought and Delays: Talgar District Farms Struggle Without Irrigation Water

We have previously reported on the worsening situation in the village of Taldybulaq, where both farmers and residents are suffering due to the stalled reconstruction of the R-3 irrigation canal.

Farms and gardens are drying up for a second summer in a row, Orda.kz reports

One of the most problematic intersections is that of Arys and Tulebayev streets in the village of Aqdala. In spring 2024, a pipe running above the road was dismantled and removed. Authorities initially intended to replace it with a siphon — a pipe to run underground.

On June 2, Deputy Akim of Talgar District, Anuar Askerbekov, told an Orda.kz correspondent via WhatsApp that the siphon would be completed by June 20.

However, as of June 24, residents told the newsroom the siphon still hadn’t been built, and work was still in progress.

Rumors began circulating that the Ministry of Finance was auditing the project.

When Orda.kz sent a formal inquiry, the Ministry confirmed:

The department conducted an audit from May 15 to June 16, 2025 regarding the State Institution “Almaty Region Construction Department” and its compliance with the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the targeted use of budget funds allocated for the project “Reconstruction (adjustment) of the irrigation system of the Talgar district of the Almaty region” for the period from January 1, 2023 to April 17, 2025 inclusive. Based on the results, the department identified financial violations totaling 381,659,900 tenge. Of these, 52,408,500 tenge must be reimbursed to the budget, and 329,251,400 tenge are subject to recovery. At the same time, no procedural violations were identified. 

Residents remain unconvinced, insisting the financial misconduct is far greater and that the irrigation situation remains dire.

Another group of farmers and gardeners from the same district — those relying on the R-2 canal — also reached out to the editorial office.

According to Marina Reznik from the “Almagul2” gardening partnership (which represents 16 similar cooperatives), one of the two main pipes on the R-2 canal failed in 2023. The remaining pipe failed in late 2024, effectively cutting off the water supply.

Despite being informed, local utilities only began addressing the issue in May 2025, right before the irrigation season, missing valuable preparation time.

A contractor was found, but only worked one day and left — reportedly due to a breakdown in negotiations with the Akimat.

Another contractor was hired with a two-week deadline, but also failed to meet expectations, allegedly due to a lack of funding. Despite that, the contractor has continued working, though progress remains uncertain.

The documents needed to allocate funding for the work and purchase of all necessary materials still haven’t been signed! With temperatures over 34°C, no rain, and no alternative irrigation, this is heading toward disaster. In two weeks, it’ll be mid-July, and there will be nothing left to water,said one frustrated resident. 

Irrigation was initially scheduled to begin in May 2025. When that deadline passed, authorities promised to finish by the end of June.

On June 25, convinced that the deadline would once again be missed, residents appealed directly to the President. They also planned to travel to Qonayev to meet the regional Akim. That evening, they received a letter from the Akimat promising 35 million tenge from regional reserve funds for the completion of the R-2 canal.

 

While the news brought relief, it also raised questions: the letter appeared to be from Almaty Region Akim Marat Sultangaziyev, with an official seal, but no signature.

Original Author: Danil Utyupin