The Netherlands and Kazakhstan are moving from dialogue to delivery. At the fourth Joint Agricultural Working Group (JAWG), held in The Hague on 13 and 14 October 2026, both countries reaffirmed their shared ambition: develop sustainable, resilient food systems, with lessons and opportunities that reach beyond their borders.
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Kazakh delegation in the Hague for the 4th meeting of Join KZ-NL Agricultural Working Group
A partnership taking shape
Vice Minister of Agriculture Talasbek Kanafin led the Kazakh delegation. Dr Martijn Weijtens headed the Dutch delegation on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature. Government officials, entrepreneurs and knowledge institutions discussed progress in seeds, livestock, animal health, greenhouses, aquaculture, education and trade.
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Signing of a follow-up agreement by Talasbek Kanafin and Martijn Weijtens
The results are becoming tangible. A three year Partners for International Business (PIB) programme is under way in poultry. In dairy, UNIFORM Agri and a Kazakh partner have agreed to explore digital herd management and a national dairy cattle database. Education and veterinary cooperation are also advancing, although progress varies by sector.
The Dutch advantage starts at home
The technical session captured the spirit of the partnership. Dutch companies, sector organisations, researchers and educators exchanged ideas in an open, positive atmosphere. Rather than presenting isolated products, participants looked for ways to connect expertise and solve practical problems together.
This is a key Dutch selling point. Technology matters, but a greenhouse, processing line or livestock system only performs when operators have the right skills, spare parts are available and dependable service continues after installation. The Dutch agrifood sector can connect suppliers with training, applied research, data, management expertise and after sales support.
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Kazakh delegation at CowSignals farm
That combination does not happen automatically. It relies on cooperation within the Netherlands itself: businesses, education, research and government must work together instead of approaching international markets separately. This strength deserves more attention and investment. In Kazakhstan, solutions must also fit local conditions and be built on commercial value and mutual respect for different business cultures.
More value from Kazakhstan’s raw materials
Kazakhstan wants to do more than increase output. It aims to process more of its own raw materials, retain added value locally and sell more finished products abroad. That opens opportunities throughout the chain: food processing equipment, quality control, certification, storage, logistics and market access.
Robert Horster of the Erasmus Commodity & Trade Centre (ECTC), Erasmus University Rotterdam, widened the discussion from production to international trade. Proposals included exploring an initial scoping study, a roadmap for export development and possible Centres of Excellence in Kazakhstan, bringing together Dutch know how and Kazakh institutions.
From research to practice
On 14 October, visits to CowSignals, Trouw Nutrition, Zalmboerderij Maashorst and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) showed how technology, research and day to day operations reinforce one another. The Vice Rector and international department of S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University joined the full visit, with the introduction to WUR offering a valuable opening for future cooperation.
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Kazakh delegation at CowSignals farm
FAO Kazakhstan also contributed to the JAWG. Work connected to World Food Day, young people and women in agriculture gives the bilateral relationship a wider dimension: food security, inclusion and more sustainable food systems.
Next steps: turn ideas into business
Both sides agreed to continue their dialogue and undertake first explorations ahead of the next JAWG in Kazakhstan in 2027. The work will focus on sharpening the proposals already on the table: export development with ECTC, dairy initiatives, a possible aquaculture business mission, education exchanges and further greenhouse cooperation.
The shared aim is practical: projects that work on the ground, make commercial sense for both partners and strengthen food value chains. The Dutch contribution is strongest when its technology, knowledge and services arrive together, backed by close cooperation at home and trusted partnerships abroad.
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Kazakh and Dutch delegation at Wageningen