Increasing Agricultural Sector Investments by the Government
In a bid to strengthen its agricultural sector and enhance livestock export capabilities, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has outlined ambitious investment projects and measures worth $4.4 billion across 45 key industrial projects in Kazakhstan by 2025. The initiatives aim to modernise the sector, focusing on veterinary control, fodder procurement, and digitalisation.
One significant private investment is a $500 million project by Harvest Group SA, which intends to convert up to 300,000 hectares of remote pastureland into productive, irrigated agricultural land. This project emphasises innovative water use, such as underground sources and advanced water-saving technologies, with the goal of increasing soil productivity sixfold. This move supports Kazakhstan’s goal to expand irrigated land to 2.5 million hectares by 2030, improving fodder availability and agricultural output.
Another key aspect of the strategy is the implementation of an integrated animal husbandry strategy. This strategy promotes better livestock breeds, accessible loans for farmers, and export growth. Measures include providing 5% loans to farmers and processors who commit to selling a significant portion of their livestock to domestic processors with deep-processing capacity. Ten beef projects with investments of 27.4 billion tenge (~$45 million) are underway, aiming to export 50,000 tons of meat by 2025.
The Prime Minister has also emphasised the importance of veterinary safety, ordering full vaccination coverage of agricultural animals, including those on personal subsidiary farms. To ensure transparency, a comprehensive traceability system is being developed, integrating all databases into a single digital platform. All processes related to animal movement and livestock products are to be digitised by the end of the year.
In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture, along with regional akimats, has been tasked with verifying the database of farm animals before 1 November. Quality veterinary infrastructure is essential in the regions, and efforts are in place to ensure sufficient quantities of quality and affordable veterinary drugs are available in all regions. Control should be strengthened when importing livestock products from abroad, and delays and disruptions in supplies of veterinary drugs are unacceptable.
To support farmers and agricultural needs, continuous supervision is in place during the 2025 vegetation period to ensure water resource provision and fulfillment of agricultural needs, including fodder procurement. The sowing campaign has been completed with a total sown area of 23.7 million hectares, and full support measures are provided to farmers to enhance production.
The digitisation of the livestock sector is also a key focus, with the Ministries of Agriculture, Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry instructed to ensure the digitalisation of all processes. This digitalisation is expected to optimise resources, enhance transparency, and improve the overall efficiency of the sector.
In summary, Kazakhstan under Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov is pushing forward extensive investment projects that combine enhanced irrigation technologies, veterinary control, fodder procurement, and integration of modern practices to strengthen its agricultural sector and livestock export capabilities by 2030. These efforts are part of a coordinated national strategy to boost productivity, sustainability, and global food security positioning.
The Harvest Group SA's $500 million project to develop 300,000 hectares of pastureland into irrigated agricultural land is a significant private finance investment in Kazakhstan's business sector, aiming to increase agricultural output and fodder availability. As part of the national strategy, an integrated animal husbandry strategy has been implemented to promote better livestock breeds, provide accessible loans, and boost livestock export growth.
