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.
Belarus and Kazakhstan enhance trade cooperation by expanding exchange trading. BUCE reports a 36% rise in Kazakhstani transactions, with key exports including timber, dairy, and metals.
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have signed an agreement to design and build the Trans-Caspian Fiber Optic Cable Line, which will connect the two countries as part of the Digital Silk Way project.
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan received Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov today in a meeting that underscored the deepening bilateral relations between the two nations.
Kazakhstan authorities has proposed to impose six-month ban on export of oil products
YouTube has introduced a new subscription tier, Premium Lite, which offers an ad-free viewing experience on most videos for $8 per month in the United States, according to company sources.
Apple has launched a legal challenge against the British government over a directive requiring the company to create a backdoor for encrypted iCloud accounts, according to reports by the Financial Times.
Europe's newest uncrewed heavy launcher, the Ariane 6, successfully blasted off on Thursday in its first commercially operational launch, carrying a French military observation satellite into orbit.
YouTube announced on Tuesday that it will tighten its policies on content that promotes illegal gambling, with changes set to take effect on March 19.
Norway’s government has affirmed that it will continue to supply fuel for U.S. Navy vessels, dismissing recent calls from a private marine fuel supplier to halt deliveries amid tensions linked to U.S.-Ukrainian relations.
President Donald Trump is preparing a new travel ban that could block entry for people from Afghanistan and Pakistan as early as next week. The move is part of an intensified immigration crackdown.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, will chair the 20th EU-Central Asia Ministerial meeting hosted this year by Turkmenistan, in Ashgabat, on 4 March.
Watch AnewZ Live Coverage of the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting at the Oval Office at https://anewz.tv/tv-live
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed his respect for the United States and its people in an interview with Fox News, following a tense meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
Despite the US exit from the Paris Agreement, UK climate envoy Rachel Kyte reaffirms Britain’s commitment to climate goals, stressing the importance of global action and green energy investments.
A "doomsday" vault storing food crop seeds from around the world in man-made caves on a remote Norwegian Arctic island will receive more than 14,000 new samples on Tuesday, a custodian of the facility said.
The city of Buriticupu, in Brazil’s northeastern Amazon, is facing a worsening crisis as massive sinkholes continue to expand, forcing authorities to declare a state of emergency. More than 1,200 residents are at risk of losing their homes.
Greece is struggling with severe water shortages as climate change intensifies droughts and aging infrastructure leaks nearly half of its drinking water. The crisis threatens agriculture, public health, and daily life.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has approved an agreement between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on strategic partnership in the development and transmission of green energy.
YouTube has introduced a new subscription tier, Premium Lite, which offers an ad-free viewing experience on most videos for $8 per month in the United States, according to company sources.
Apple has launched a legal challenge against the British government over a directive requiring the company to create a backdoor for encrypted iCloud accounts, according to reports by the Financial Times.
Europe's newest uncrewed heavy launcher, the Ariane 6, successfully blasted off on Thursday in its first commercially operational launch, carrying a French military observation satellite into orbit.
YouTube announced on Tuesday that it will tighten its policies on content that promotes illegal gambling, with changes set to take effect on March 19.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment