Land area with water-saving irrigation methods increased by 85.1 thousand ha in Kazakhstan

Images | primeminister.kz

ll state bodies and development institutions need to work with business in the mode of maximum favour, proactively seek effective entrepreneurs, ready to develop export-oriented production necessary for the country," Olzhas Bektenov noted.

Images | Kazakh MFA

It is worth noting that during the meeting in Astana in July of this year, the heads of our states stressed the need to expand the List of priority industrial and investment cooperation projects. Thus, the Mechanism of dialogue on industrial and investment cooperation initiated 10 years ago continues to play a special role in the new stage of the "golden 30th anniversary" of Kazakh-Chinese relations," - said the Deputy Minister.

China occupies one of the leading positions in gross direct investment in the Kazakh economy. Over the past year and a half alone, several major investment events have been held between our countries, within which 117 commercial documents worth more than 42 billion US dollars have been signed. Today, we are implementing 100 joint investment projects, including 45 projects worth over 14.5 billion US dollars, which, according to the results of the 20th meeting, are included in the List of priority projects. We are witnessing a positive trend in the development of cooperation. Nevertheless, there is significant potential in expanding bilateral cooperation," - noted the Deputy Minister.

At the same time, I note that floods did not affect the southern regions of the country, there in recent years the cycle was low-water and in order to prevent water shortages we have strengthened work on negotiations with neighbouring countries, which have fulfilled all the agreements we have reached," Nurzhan Nurzhigitov said.

During the growing season, we managed not only to provide irrigation water to agrarians, but also to send about 1 billion m3 of water to the Northern Aral Sea, which exceeds last year's figures by three times," the minister stressed.

In general, the growing season in the two basins passed without complications, the requests of all agricultural producers were satisfied. The growing season in the Balkhash-Alakol basin was also stable, about 3 km3 of water was taken for regular irrigation. In the other basins, the growing season was at the level of previous years and without risks," Nurzhan Nurzhigitov informed.

To implement the Head of State's instruction, the task to increase the area of application of water-saving technologies up to 150 thousand hectares annually has been set and relevant indicators for each oblast have been provided," Nurzhan Nurzhigitov noted.

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The Head of State in his Address to the Nation emphasised the importance of using water-saving technologies in all spheres of the economy, especially in agriculture. Our country does not possess large water resources. It is very important to use water sparingly, to stimulate in this matter not only the population, but first of all business. Therefore, it is important for the regions to achieve indicators for increasing the area with the use of water-saving technologies," Prime Minister said.

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Today, the volume of water in the Northern Aral Sea is 22 billion cubic metres. Before that, 7-10 cubic metres of water per second flowed into the sea during the irrigation period, this year it is 10 times more - 60-70 cubic metres per second," Deputy Head of the Aral-Syrdarya Basin Inspectorate Zeinolla Kaztoganov said.

I've been fishing all my life. With the arrival of water, the fish have come to life. There are more fish this year than last year. If we keep the Aral Sea at its present level, the fishery will develop," he said.

Images | Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan

If last year 15.9 billion tenge was allocated from the republican and local budgets for the purchase of machinery and equipment, 526 units of fire-fighting and patrol equipment were purchased. This year, for the first time in the history of the country's forestry sector, 52 billion tenge has been allocated for the purchase of 1,384 units of firefighting equipment and 921 units of trailed and mounted equipment, including through leasing - 40 billion tenge. These measures will bring the equipment of forest protection institutions in the most fire-prone regions of the country up to 100 per cent," Yerlan Nysanbayev said.

The increase in the volume of forest planting gave impetus to the development of forest nurseries. We reconstructed some of them and created new ones on the area of 1300 hectares. The data on the survival rate of plantations show that the existing forest nurseries are insufficient and the growing technology is outdated. In this regard, the country additionally needs to build 114 new and reconstruct one forest nursery," the minister added.

Akimats of regions need to conduct soil surveys for forest suitability and develop appropriate working projects. This will ensure the fulfilment of the Head of State's instructions and increase the forest area. This work will be under the control of the Ministry," Yerlan Nysanbayev emphasised.

Kazakhstan has the potential to implement offset projects. A Swiss company has launched a pilot project in Akmola region, which involves planting forests on an area of 14,500 hectares. Large global companies are also interested in participating in the creation of forest plantations in the country. The Ministry has prepared amendments to the legislation to enable the implementation of such projects on the territory of the state forest fund. This will give a new impetus to planting forests at the expense of investors," Yerlan Nysanbayev informed.