Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan boosts agricultural exports, enhancing trade with EU, IsDB and Kazakhstan launch $1.32 billion climate-resilient water project
From recent news about Kazakhstan’s efforts to boost agricultural exports to the EU, launching a $1.32 billion climate-resilient water project, and restoring the wild tiger population in the region, Kazinform News Agency offers a weekly review of Kazakhstan’s coverage in foreign media.
Euractiv: Kazakhstan boosts agricultural exports, enhancing trade with EU
According to the Euractiv, Kazakhstan is among the non-EU countries set to benefit from the European Investment Bank’s €465 million fund, part of the €3 billion Pan-European Agricultural Programme launched to enhance sustainability, close financing gaps, support young farmers, and promote climate-resilient practices. This marks the largest-ever financing initiative for agriculture approved by the EIB.
Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector is undergoing significant reforms aimed at boosting exports and meeting domestic needs. The government is overhauling financial and subsidy systems to support agricultural enterprises and increase domestic agricultural machinery production, projected to grow from €498 million to €568 million by 2025. Machinery sales rose 52% in the past year, reflecting progress in this area.
The country’s crop exports, particularly barley, lentils, and corn, are also on the rise. Between September and October, 1.8 million tons of grain were exported, a 48% increase from the same period last year. Lentil exports grew sevenfold, reaching 80,000 tons, mostly to European countries, while rice exports rose 47%, fueled by new markets in Azerbaijan and Belarus. Kazakhstan also plans to boost exports of vegetable oils and grist to China, targeting $300 million by 2025.
Kazakhstan is one of the top ten global grain exporters, supplying eight million tons of wheat and two million tons of flour annually to over 80 countries. The government is working to diversify export routes and expand markets, focusing on enhancing its agricultural trade with the EU. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, during a recent visit to France, emphasized Kazakhstan’s importance in global food security and encouraged European firms to explore investment opportunities.
However, logistical challenges, including lower wheat quality and trade barriers, remain hurdles. Despite this, Kazakhstan continues to enhance its transit capacity between China and Europe, positioning itself as a key player in agricultural trade.
IsDB: Islamic Development Bank and Kazakhstan launch $1.32 billion climate-resilient water project
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Republic of Kazakhstan signed a landmark agreement today to launch Phase 1 of the Climate Resilient Water Resources Development Project, reports IsDB. The signing ceremony, held during COP29, was attended by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, with the agreement formalized by Nurlan Baibazarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan (IsDB Governor), and IsDB President Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser.
The $1.32 billion initiative, backed by $1.15 billion in IsDB funding, aims to propel Kazakhstan's water infrastructure while strengthening its resilience to climate change.
The comprehensive project encompasses several major infrastructure developments and capacity-building initiatives. At its core, the project will establish 11 strategic reservoirs designed for seasonal water storage and flood control, while simultaneously rehabilitating 3,400 kilometers of irrigation networks across the country. The initiative will also focus on enhancing river flows across 100 kilometers, significantly improving water distribution and accessibility. To ensure long-term sustainability, the project includes an extensive training program for 1,100 staff members in advanced water management techniques, along with providing climate-smart agricultural training to 100,000 community members.
“This project demonstrates the powerful synergy between IsDB and Kazakhstan, focusing on long-term climate resilience, food security, and sustainable economic growth for the people of Kazakhstan. By 2032, this project will result in 350,000 hectares of sustainably irrigated land for crop production, an average of 20% yield increase for key crops, and a 25% reduction in water loss in the irrigation system,” said Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser, IsDB President.
As the first phase of a comprehensive water security program, this initiative underscores Kazakhstan’s commitment to environmental sustainability and IsDB’s dedication to innovative development solutions. The project will enhance agricultural productivity, secure water resources for vulnerable communities, and strengthen the nation’s ability to adapt to climate change.
CNN Science: Kazakhstan’s last tigers disappeared decades ago. Now, they’re coming back
Kazakhstan’s Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve has transformed over the last decade. Once degraded and devoid of large mammals, the 4,151-square-kilometer delta now hosts rare species like the Bukhara deer and the Kulan. Over 50 hectares of forest have been restored, and soon, tigers will return to the region for the first time in over 70 years, reports CNN Science.
Tigers, once widespread across Central Asia, were declared extinct in Kazakhstan in the 1950s due to hunting and prey depletion. In September 2024, two captive Amur tigers, Bodhana and Kuma, were translocated from the Netherlands to a semi-natural enclosure in the reserve. Their offspring are expected to become the first wild tigers in Kazakhstan in decades.
“These tigers were selected because they’re very similar to what would have been found in the Caspian region,” explains Stuart Chapman of the WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. Amur tigers, native to Russia’s Far East, can adapt to the hot summers and cold winters of the Balkhash region. Chapman calls this translocation a historic moment: “This is the first time that tigers have crossed international borders to reintroduce them into the wild.”
Kazakhstan’s tiger reintroduction efforts began in 2010, with the establishment of the Ile-Balkhash Reserve in 2018. Supported by WWF and the UN Development Program, the project focused on restoring tiger prey populations, including the Bukhara deer and wild pigs, alongside strict hunting regulations.
Bodhana and Kuma underwent months of preparation before their journey, including quarantine and hunting practice in enclosures. Released into a semi-wild area, conservationists hope they will breed. Cubs will stay with their mother for about two years before being released into the wider reserve with radio collars for monitoring.
By 2035, the project aims to have 50 tigers in the wild. Education programs and early warning systems are in place to mitigate human-wildlife conflict for the 6,000 residents near the reserve.
“It’s not often, in conservation terms, that wildlife gets a second chance,” says Chapman. “Bringing back tigers to Kazakhstan is so significant in conservation terms; I have to pinch myself that this is happening.”
The Times of Central Asia: Turkey ready to buy Kazakh meat at twice the price offered by China
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture is working to open the Turkish market to Kazakh meat exports. Deputy Minister Amangaly Berdalin stated that Turkey is willing to pay nearly double the price offered by China for Kazakh beef, at $11 per kilogram, reports the Times of Central Asia.
Although Kazakhstan recently gained access to China’s market, exports remain limited due to uncompetitive pricing and restrictions allowing only four processing plants to export up to 8,000 tons of frozen beef annually. Chinese buyers pay $5.5 per kilogram, similar to domestic prices, making exports to China less profitable.
“Our ministry’s objective is to open as many markets as possible for our producers, particularly those offering attractive prices,” Berdalin stated at the Vet Astana 2024 International Exhibition on Feed and Veterinary in Astana. “That is why our inspectors are actively collaborating with Turkish officials to understand their export requirements.”
Following Minister Aidarbek Saparov’s visit to Ankara, contracts worth $80 million were signed to supply Kazakh meat to Turkey, contingent on veterinary compliance.
Turkey lifted its 20-year ban on Kazakh livestock products in June 2024, but producers are navigating certification processes, with some tests outsourced to labs in Latvia and Georgia.
“To export to a country, we must meet all its import requirements. For instance, to export our honey, we need to conduct 43 specific tests. Currently, we handle 20 in-house, but the remaining 23 are outsourced to laboratories in Latvia and Georgia,” Berdalin explained.
The Kazakh government has allocated 3.8 billion tenge ($7.7 million) this year to support veterinary laboratories.
In 2023, Kazakhstan exported 53,000 tons of meat worth $153 million, mostly to Uzbekistan, the UAE, and other countries. Efforts are also underway to access European markets.
