The United Nations Development Programme has kicked off a project aimed at supporting the resilience of agricultural production and conserving ecosystems in Northern Kazakhstan.
The project is launched by UNDP, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Forestry and Wildlife Committee of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The project, with budget of $10,587,470, will run until November 2029.
Through this joint project, UNDP and the Ministry of Agriculture will test sustainable land use approaches and practices in four key regions of Northern Kazakhstan: Akmolinsk, Kostanay, North Kazakhstan, and Pavlodar. In 2023, the area of arable land in these regions amounted to about 17 million hectares, which is equivalent to 70 percent of all arable land in the country. This highlights the critical role of target areas in Kazakhstan's agricultural production.
Land degradation is one of the pressing environmental issues that reduces soil productivity, threatens the sustainability of the agricultural sector, deteriorates ecosystem health, and negatively impacts biodiversity, said UNDP's statement.
According to the UN, around 40 percent of the world's land has degraded, affecting three billion people globally. In Kazakhstan, approximately 75 percent of agricultural soils are subject to various forms of degradation, such as desertification, salinization, erosion, and land exhaustion due to prolonged use. The State Institute for Land Surveying of the Ministry of Agriculture reports that the potential fertility of soils has decreased by 17 percent, leading to reduced crop yields.
The Government of Kazakhstan is improving legislation to address these issues. Land degradation issues are included in the Land and Environmental Codes, as well as in the draft law “On Soil Protection,” aimed at the protection and restoration of land. Alongside legislative improvements, the implementation of effective management technologies and long-term land resource development planning is essential.
“In accordance with the concept of developing the agro-industrial complex until 2030, special attention is paid to enhancing labour productivity, yield, updating and providing agricultural machinery and seeds, and increasing the share of processed products in the agro-industrial complex, as well as addressing export issues. At the same time, measures to reduce the area of eroded lands within agricultural holdings are being considered," - said Yermek Kenzhekhanuly, Vice Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The project plans to implement agro-ecological incentives and financial instruments to support sustainable agricultural production and key production-distribution chains, restore pastures, and optimize territorial planning. Scientifically based land use approaches will be developed, incorporating functional zoning tools and landscape planning, considering ecological, economic, and social factors. The project also aims to minimize conflicts among various land users and enhance ecosystem services.
“The project will support the integrity of the Naurzum Nature Reserve’s lake ecosystem, which is a globally significant site for nesting, migratory stopovers, and the fattening of waterfowl,” said Daniyar Turgambayev, Chair of the Forestry and Wildlife Committee of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Uzbekistan will launch a new digital financial platform from 1 July aimed at simplifying access to finance for entrepreneurs, as part of broader effor...
Pakistan has warned that any attempt by India to block or significantly reduce river flows under the Indus Waters Treaty could have “far-reaching co...
Georgia is overhauling its migration laws in one of the most significant legal reforms in years, introducing criminal penalties for fake marriages, ti...
The global race to develop quantum computing is accelerating, with governments and technology firms investing heavily in what is expected to become a ...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 13 June, covering the latest developments you need to know....
Domestic economic conditions are playing a growing role in shaping the outlook for Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, according to global financial services group ING.
The U.S. is deepening engagement with Central Asia on critical minerals as global competition for strategic resources intensifies. The issue dominated talks in Astana between Washington and the five Central Asian states.
The European Union’s proposed 21st sanctions package against Russia could affect companies in Central Asia, including firms in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as Brussels moves to tighten controls on sanctions circumvention.
Kazakhstan will require major businesses to introduce five-year water-saving plans as authorities warn that worsening shortages could threaten not only the environment but also the country's economy.
SpaceX has made history with the largest initial public offering ever in the United States, pricing its shares at $135 each and achieving a market valuation of $1.77 trillion.
SpaceX made a historic entrance into the Nasdaq on Friday, surging over 20% in its first day of trading and lifting its valuation to more than $2 trillion. Investors flocked to the world’s largest IPO, betting on Elon Musk’s sprawling empire spanning rockets, AI and beyond.
While France hosts next week’s Group of Seven summit, businesses in neighbouring Switzerland have already begun taking precautions, with many shops in Geneva boarded up ahead of a large anti-G7 demonstration expected on Sunday.
Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly’s Monaco Grand Prix podium has been reinstated after Alpine successfully challenged his post-race penalties through a Right of Review request with the FIA.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk have criticised Britain, France and Germany for leaving them out of talks with Russia about a potential future peace deal for Ukraine.
France’s parliament has formally recognised state responsibility for the use of the toxic pesticide chlordecone in Martinique and Guadeloupe, marking a significant step in addressing decades of environmental contamination and public health concerns.
Financial markets are significantly underestimating the economic impact of biodiversity loss, potentially leaving countries exposed to sovereign debt crises and rising borrowing costs, according to new research published on Friday.
Wildlife researchers have identified dozens of previously unknown insect species during an expedition to Angola’s remote Lisima Plateau, a conservation group announced on Wednesday.
Global weather forecasters predict a strong El Niño will develop in the second half of 2026, bringing hotter, drier conditions to much of Asia while increasing rainfall in parts of North and South America.
Google has asked U.S. regulators for permission to release up to 32 million sterilised mosquitoes in California and Florida as part of its experimental “Debug” programme aimed at reducing populations of disease-carrying insects.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment