Published on: 2026-08-03
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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August 2, 2026 Climate and Environment
Kazakhstan and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have launched three new projects. They are designed to help Kazakhstan strengthen agriculture and increase its resilience to climate change, including through innovative approaches.
“These projects contribute to turning our shared priorities into practical actions – from strengthening national breeding and seed production systems to enhancing the efficiency of the early warning system for locust invasions and laying the foundation for reliable monitoring of soil carbon content and stocks,” said Raimund Jehle, Deputy Regional Representative of FAO for Europe and Central Asia.
Modernization of crop production
The “Kazakh Varieties and Seeds” project is aimed at addressing long-standing issues in breeding and seed production. Food security, sources of livelihood for the rural population, and Kazakhstan’s exports largely depend on crop production, particularly the cultivation of cereals such as wheat, barley, and corn.
Nevertheless, breeding and seed production organizations operate under outdated infrastructure, limited access to modern tools, slow adoption of new varieties, and weak connections between research institutions and commercial seed producers. These problems have led to increased dependence of Kazakhstan on imported varieties and seeds.
The first phase of the project will create the scientific, institutional, and managerial foundation necessary for the revival of domestic breeding and seed production systems, improving farmers’ access to high-quality planting material and reducing dependence on imports. It will cover both field and horticultural crops (including apple trees).
The project will promote the involvement of women farmers, researchers, agricultural knowledge dissemination specialists, and women-led farms.
Locust invasion prevention
FAO will also help Kazakhstan improve the efficiency of locust invasion monitoring and forecasting using artificial intelligence and unmanned aerial vehicles. Locust invasions pose a serious threat to crops and pasture lands, and consequently, to food security and the livelihoods of rural populations.
Improving the efficiency of early warning and response systems is a key way to prevent or minimize damage.
In close cooperation with the authorities of Kazakhstan, FAO will develop modern geospatial tools and artificial intelligence-based tools for data collection, analysis, and forecasting related to monitoring and combating locusts.
Healthy soils as a factor in increasing resilience to climate change
Kazakhstan has more than 219 million hectares of agricultural land; however, losses of soil organic carbon stocks in pasture lands over recent decades are estimated to have ranged from 20 to 40 percent. This has led to the degradation of soil structure and a decrease in its water retention capacity, as well as an increased vulnerability to extreme climate events.
One of the new projects will contribute to the development of the national system for monitoring, reporting, and verification of organic carbon stock content in soils. It will help Kazakhstan create a reliable and internationally recognized system.
FAO and Kazakhstan will jointly prepare a work plan, carry out modernization and certification of the national network of laboratories. Satellite and ground data will be used to develop a soil organic carbon monitoring system and analytical tools that will be integrated into the existing national geoportal.
At least 80 national specialists and 500 farmers will participate in training activities, including women and young people.
In the coming years, the implementation of these three projects, combining the introduction of innovations, the enhancement of institutional capacity, and the development of practical skills, will contribute to increasing the productivity of Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector and its resilience to external impacts.
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