Kazakhstan is taking proactive measures to promote water conservation and improve efficiency among farmers, following criticism from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev about the slow implementation of water-saving technologies. The Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has set ambitious goals for the future, aiming to have water-saving technologies installed on 50% of the country’s irrigated land by 2030. This move is expected to save up to 2.1 cubic kilometers of water annually.
To support these efforts, subsidies for drilling irrigation wells have been increased to cover 80% of their costs. Additionally, collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture is ongoing to raise subsidies for the installation of water-saving systems from 50% to 80% of their costs.
In alignment with the new Water Code, the government will provide financial incentives and reduced tariffs for water supply based on the adoption of water-saving technologies. Tariffs for irrigation water will be determined by the types of crops being grown and the amount of water needed for their production.
The ministry is actively working on digitizing 3,500 kilometers of irrigation canals in the southern regions of Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, and Turkestan. This initiative aims to improve water metering on 362 thousand hectares of irrigated land and potentially save up to 600 million cubic meters of water annually. These efforts demonstrate Kazakhstan’s commitment to sustainable water management practices and the preservation of this vital resource for future generations.
