ADB to help restore irrigated lands in Kazakhstan
The meeting focused on implementation of a number of projects on restoration of irrigated lands.
“Our region is highly experienced in production of agricultural crops on the irrigated lands. Annually the region harvests approximately 200,000 tonnes of potato, 40,000 tonnes of vegetables and forage crops. In the coming five years, we plan to restore around 28,000 hectares of regularly irrigated and 4,000 hectares of flood- irrigated lands,” Abdibekov said.
The Governor reminded of the Presidential instruction to restore as minimum as 600,000 hectares of irrigated lands within a five-year period, for which the country attracts loans from international financial institutions.
Thus, the Asian Development Bank is ready to provide a KZT60bln loan for an 18-year period to finance the projects on restoration of 177,150 hectares of regularly irrigated lands and a KZT6.4bln loan for restoring 101,600hectares of flood-irrigated lands in Aktobe, Zhambyl, East Kazakhstan and Karaganda regions.
“610,000 hectares of lands have to be irrigated across Kazakhstan as per a plan. The Asian Development Bank suggested financing restoration of 278,000 hectares. Another source of financing is the Islamic Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. As for the ADB, the aim of the project is to restore the existing irrigation system broken-down or damaged due to lack of proper maintaining service etc. We would like to improve the technology of management of water resources, processes and methods applied at farms and provide technical support to increase their potential,” Ismail Najar added.
The project on restoration of irrigated lands will be launched in 2018.