Kazakhstan and Germany discuss water management and agriculture issues

During the meeting with diplomats and representatives from the EU countries on April 18 in Astana, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov stressed the necessity of cooperation with EU nations, particularly in the realms of water management and agriculture. Approaches for technology and knowledge transfer were discussed, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

Germany played a prominent role in these discussions, showcasing its contributions to advancing water management technologies and agricultural practices.

“German companies, scientific institutions as well as bilateral cooperation projects are actively involved in the introduction of efficient water management processes in agriculture and have achieved visible positive results that demonstrate the successful use of innovative techniques. It is important to make innovations available to farmers. On the one hand, to provide information about it and, on the other hand, to provide financial support,” said head of German-Kazakh Agricultural Policy Dialogue Olga Hunger in her social networks.

However, challenges such as delays and increased costs for German technology delivery due to changes in transport routes across the Caspian Sea were acknowledged. Hunger stressed the importance of maintaining subsidies for farmers and ensuring timely disbursement to mitigate these challenges.

“A new field of activity is the exchange with the Kazakh side about the establishment of the Regional Central Asian Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Kazakhstan, which was proposed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at his last meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Germany,” summed up Hunger.