Kazakhstan Hosts Round Table on Food Security and Agricultural Development
Photo: Olga Ibraeva / Orda.kz
A round table on food security and sustainable agricultural development was held in Astana, Orda.kz reports.
Representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and agricultural sector experts participated in the discussion.
Vice Minister of Agriculture Yerbol Kenzhekhanuly presented statistics, stating that 2024 will be a breakthrough year for the industry.
The volume of gross agricultural output increased by 13.7%, reaching 8.3 trillion tenge. This growth was achieved due to an increase in production in crop production by 21.1% and livestock production by 3.6%, the Vice Minister noted.
Yerbol Kenzhekhanuly said that the ministry intends to increase food production by 4.5% this year. To do this, they have developed a comprehensive plan for developing agricultural processing until 2028.
They also want to attract more than two trillion tenge investments in the agricultural sector.
FAO Recommendations
FAO Deputy Director-General Viorel Gutu touched upon the rational use of agricultural resources. He emphasized that Kazakhstan has significant land areas, but their potential is used inefficiently.
Gutsu proposed that Kazakhstan reconsider its approach to agriculture and increase exports:
Overexploitation, wind and water erosion, dust storms and climate change have led to land degradation and reduced soil fertility, said the UN representative.
In addition, FAO recommended focusing on pasture restoration, water-saving technologies, and biodiversity protection.
Another topic was the processing of agricultural products. Gutsu recalled that Kazakhstan remains a "net importer of agricultural products," and most imports are processed products.
A strong export-import policy in the agricultural sector is a necessary basis for activating trade. Kazakhstan exports mainly raw materials, although, according to experts, it can increase the share of finished product exports to 75%, noted Gutsu.
Kazakhstan was also offered to join the global agricultural monitoring system AMIS and develop a brand of national products such as apples.
Original Author: Olga Ibraeva
Latest news
- Almaty Metro To Replace Korean-Controlled System After Technical Failures
- Fewer Kazakhstanis Work Outside Their Home Regions
- Safety Violations Cited As Possible Cause Of Kazzinc Plant Explosion
- Tenge Weakens Five Percent In May As National Bank Reports No Interventions
- New Direct Flights From Kazakhstan To Warsaw, Izmir, And Larnaca
- Kazakhstan Clarifies Position On Possible Iranian Uranium Storage
- EU Politicians Eye Kazakhstan And Uzbekistan As Possible Sites For Migrant Return Centers
- Kazakhstanis Are Leaving The Regions For Megacities
- Kazakhstan Could Store Iranian Uranium If US-Iran Nuclear Deal Is Reached
- Kazakhstan’s EV Boom Is Here. Is The Grid Ready?
- Cyprus President To Make First Official Visit To Kazakhstan
- Kazakh Investors May Gain Remote Access To Armenian Stock Market
- Call Center In Ukraine Scammed Kazakhstanis By Posing As Banks And Police
- Kazakhstan Marks Day Of Remembrance For Victims Of Political Repression And Famine
- Kazakhstan Considers Molecular Markers To Track Fuel Supply Chains
- Tengiz Oil Production Gradually Restored After Operational Failure
- Tokayev Meets Cuban Vice President To Discuss AI And Medicine
- Karaganda Zoo Shows Newborn Amur Tiger Cubs For The First Time
- Putin and Tokayev Consolidate New Format of Relations, Political Analyst Says
- Kazakhstan Releases Prices For All Non-Prescription Medicines
