Kazakhstan exports agricultural products to 80 countries
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Qu Dongyu, who arrived in Kazakhstan to participate in the Astana International Forum.
Prospects for deepening cooperation
The progress in implementing the agreements reached during the high-level negotiations in 2024 was reviewed. Current issues and work plans within the framework of the Kazakhstan-FAO Partnership Program were discussed.
Attention was paid to the prospects for deepening cooperation in the field of agro-processing and increasing the export of agricultural products with high added value. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan emphasized that agriculture is one of the key sectors of the national economy. Kazakhstan exports agricultural products to 80 countries and ranks 32nd out of 113 countries in the Global Food Security Index.
"Efforts to develop the industry are yielding results: last year we recorded a 13.7% increase in gross agricultural output. In the coming years, Kazakhstan intends to actively develop agricultural processing and increase the share of products with high added value to 70%. It is planned to build new and modernize existing processing plants. Over the next three years, we plan to implement more than 600 investment projects in the agri-food sector worth over $4.8 billion," Olzhas Bektenov emphasized. Kazakhstan is interested in exchanging advanced agricultural technologies, as well as developing scientific approaches to production.
Partnership of FAO and Kazakhstan
The FAO Director-General highly praised Kazakhstan’s potential and expressed confidence in further deepening cooperation.
“With its vast land resources, rich agrobiodiversity and strategic location in the heart of Eurasia, Kazakhstan has enormous potential to become a global leader in sustainable agriculture. As the ninth largest country in the world, Kazakhstan has the potential and ambition to transform its agrifood systems into drivers of sustainable development, economic growth and environmental responsibility. FAO is proud of its strong partnership with Kazakhstan and is committed to further supporting the country in achieving food security, fostering innovation and promoting sustainable solutions for future generations,” said Qu Dongyu.
Priorities of cooperation
One of the priorities of cooperation is the introduction of digital solutions in the agricultural sector. Kazakhstan initiated the creation of a geoinformation system based on artificial intelligence and a single digital platform FitoSpace to combat and prevent the spread of locusts. This service will improve the accuracy of monitoring, minimize the use of pesticides and reduce environmental risks, which will contribute to the efficiency of agriculture and strengthen phytosanitary control.
In addition, the need for further development of the veterinary system and biosecurity was noted. Prospects for strengthening cooperation on sustainable water resources management were discussed. Kazakhstan has begun work on studying the possibilities of creating a separate Kazakhstan-FAO Partnership Program on Water Resources Management.
Importance to work together
The parties also emphasized the importance of working together to combat land degradation and desertification. Kazakhstan is interested in expanding cooperation with FAO to implement initiatives that are particularly relevant for the seven regions of the country exposed to drought and dust storms.In general, the activities of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Kazakhstan include assistance in developing national strategic documents in the field of development of the country's agro-industrial complex. At present, the FAO project portfolio in Kazakhstan includes more than 55 initiatives, including 33 implemented projects, as well as 22 ongoing ones.
Source: https://kazpravda.kz/