One of the key topics - modernization of the soil monitoring system to combat land degradation – was discussed at the meeting of the Ministry of Agriculture's board held in Astana under the chairmanship of Kazakh Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov.
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According to the Ministry, Kazakhstan currently has 117.7 million hectares of land in use, including 26.5 million hectares of arable land, 83.9 million hectares of pastures, 2.4 million hectares of hayfields, and 4.9 million hectares of other land.
Threat of land degradation and results of reforms
Aidarbek Saparov noted that the threat of land degradation remains due to both natural and human-induced factors. To address this issue systematically, the government is implementing a range of comprehensive measures, including efforts to achieve land degradation neutrality as part of the implementation of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
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Vice Minister of Agriculture Azat Sultanov presented the results of reforms to the land quality control system. As part of the transition to fundamentally new audit standards, specialists from GIPROZem updated electronic degradation maps covering 53.5 million hectares. The area of actually degraded land within the surveyed territories amounts to 2.7 million hectares (about 5%). Monitoring of all 182 million hectares of agricultural land is planned to be completed by 2029.
Soil protection draft law
The Minister of Agriculture emphasized that an important step toward protecting the country's primary resource will be the draft law "On Soil Protection," which is currently under consideration in the Mazhilis of Parliament. The bill provides for:
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- Mandatory agrochemical surveys of agricultural land every 3–5 years;
- Introduction of a mandatory "land passport" containing soil quality characteristics when land plots are allocated;
- Full digitalization of land commission operations and land allocation competitions through online platforms.
Digitalization and use of AI
Meanwhile, Murat Temirzhanov, Chairman of the Committee for Land Resources Management, reported on measures to restore degraded land, bring land into agricultural use, and digitally transform the land sector. He noted that the digitization of agricultural land in Kazakhstan has now been completed 100%. Detailed digital maps have been created, distinguishing specific types of arable land, pastures, and hayfields. The next stage will be the creation of a Unified Digital Platform for Land Resources Management.
"By 2027, we plan to introduce artificial intelligence technologies into the platform. AI will automatically identify unused land plots, detect degraded areas, analyze erosion and soil salinization processes, as well as forecast crop yields and accurately calculate fertilizer requirements," said the Chairman of the Committee.
Soil carbon monitoring project
In addition, the ministry is developing a pilot project to launch a soil carbon monitoring system. This will make it possible to track changes in carbon content, improve field productivity, and create new opportunities for attracting "green" investments into Kazakhstan's agricultural sector.
Roadmap for combating soil erosion
Following the meeting, Aidarbek Saparov issued a number of instructions to accelerate implementation of the Roadmap for Combating Soil Erosion and to approve updated pasture management plans around rural settlements.
map of Kazakhstan
Regional administrations were instructed to:
- Ensure the full utilization of agricultural land returned to state ownership;
- Intensify efforts to develop livestock farming by involving large crop-producing landholders, with the aim of providing year-round employment for the rural population.