Trendsetting American technologies to be introduced in Kazakhstan

On June 29th, 2019, the meeting with the management of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is in charge of international cooperation, was a place to discuss results of the visits to Nebraska and South Dakota, and negotiations with American companies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is interested in supporting projects being implemented and planned for implementation by the American companies in Kazakhstan.

Thus, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommended cooperating with Valmont, the most significant irrigation US company, regarding irrigation. Minister of Agriculture of RK, S.K.Omarov, announced during the meeting about Valmont's plans to open a demonstration area on the application of irrigation systems on the base of the A.I.Barayev Scientific and Production Center of Grain Farming, and to build in Kazakhstan a plant manufacturing irrigation equipment.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also intends to develop cooperation with Kazakhstan in the field of science and personnel training. The Kazakhstan delegation met the management and scientists of the agricultural and water resources scientific and research centers of USA, visited Daughery Water for Food Institute of the Nebraska State University, in relation to launching of joint studies of ground waters for agricultural needs, the USDA scientific and research center in Beistville city, Maryland state, in regard of grassland farming development with the use of innovative and digital technologies.

During the meeting with the leadership of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Kazakhstan side noticed, that the A.I.Barayev Scientific and Production Center of Grain Farming and Daughery Water for Food Institute of the Nebraska State University are determined to sign, next week, in Nur-Sultan city, the water projects cooperation agreement.

Minister S.K.Omarov explained to American colleagues about the cooperation between the scientific and research institute and Universities of RK and USA, for example, during several years experts of the UC Davis and Kazakhstan Agricultural and Technical University cooperate on the improvement of the educational process.

Also, on July 01-07, 2019 RK will host a Texas A&M University mission for an independent assessment of RK potential in the field of livestock breeding and feed production. Based on the outcomes of this mission, American companies will make final decisions on their investments into the agricultural complex of RK.

The representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture stated that the Department established a specialized agency, which coordinates the work of scientific and research universities, institutes and centers on the transfer of technology, scientific exchange. He also supported a proposal of Kazakhstan side on the expansion of the presence of the representative office of USDA in Kazakhstan.
During the meeting, the American side noticed that it is a new reality when the efficiency of investment projects with the transfer of foreign technology directly depends on personnel development and scientific support. USDA is ready to train Kazakhstan specialists both through the current training programs and by developing unique programs together with the Ministry of Agriculture of RK.

USDA emphasized during the meeting, that Kazakhstan is a leader in the field of agriculture in the region, in its turn, the USA has well-developed technologies in agriculture, for example, in the field of production of grain, leguminous and oilseeds, production and processing of livestock products. At present, the issues on how to implement advanced biotechnologies into agriculture and how to control their application when it comes to human health, are widely discussed in the world. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is intended to actively develop cooperation with Kazakhstan in the field of biotechnologies: through the development of the respective international standards IEB and Codex Alimentarius - FAO, their implementation in the investment projects with the use of new methods of biotechnology when producing and processing agricultural products. At that, American side understands, that such approach will be implemented through Kazakhstan in the whole Central Asian region, and it will be connected with the projects, implemented in the region not only by US companies but also by companies from Canada, Brazil, Argentina and other countries of the North and South America, who actively apply new biotechnological methods.

July 02nd, 2019, Source: Official website of the Ministry of Agriculture