KOZYBAYEV UNIVERSITY ATTRACTS CHINESE INVESTMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION

A joint initiative of the Non-profit limited company “Manash Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University” and the Henan Agricultural Investment Group to establish the Kazakhstan - China Scientific Agricultural Center will give a boost to the development of agriculture in North Kazakhstan, where the agrarian sector plays one of the key roles in the economy. The project предусматривает investments in the development of the agricultural industry, modern infrastructure, transfer of advanced technologies, and training of specialists. This corporation is one of the largest agricultural investment companies in China, offering comprehensive solutions in the agro-industrial complex from production to processing and marketing.

The relevant memorandum of cooperation was signed in the PRC in November last year during the visit of a delegation from the North Kazakhstan Region, and already this week Chinese colleagues arrived in Kazakhstan on a return visit.

Speaking at the second Forum of Agricultural Workers in Astana, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the need for further development of the agro-industrial complex and set a number of tasks aimed at increasing the efficiency of the sector and strengthening the country’s food security.

In this regard, the scientific community and agrarians of the Northern region face the task of attracting investments and improving the efficiency of the agro-industrial complex. The launch of the Kazakhstan - China Scientific Agricultural Center will make it possible to conduct research and demonstration projects with their subsequent commercialization in the breeding of cereals, oilseeds, legumes, and forage grasses. The goals also include adapting agriculture to climate change; introducing digitalization in crop monitoring and soil fertility; digitizing processes; using AI and UAVs to forecast yields; ensuring sustainable feed production and processing of agricultural products.

Already now, for these purposes, the akimat of the North Kazakhstan Region has allocated a 30-hectare experimental plot; a laboratory complex of Kozybayev University is at the disposal of scientists; teachers and students of the university are involved in the project. The Henan Agricultural Investment Group is entering the project with its own investments (about USD 5 million), machinery, research and expert potential. Seed material has also been provided; modern dormitories will be built and laboratories will be opened.

During the visit, the guests met with local executive authorities and agricultural producers, familiarized themselves with the university’s laboratory equipment, and visited agricultural enterprises of the region.

“It is a great honor for us to host representatives of one of the key investment partners of the PRC - a strategic partner of Kazakhstan and our university in the fields of education, science, and agricultural technologies. Our common goal is to build an effective model in which science, production, and investment work as a single system. The project envisages the creation of experimental fields, laboratories, modern infrastructure, and the involvement of university scientists and students. We expect that this will make it possible to form a sustainable export-oriented agricultural platform and expand seed-production acreage to 1,000 hectares. We view such cooperation as a long-term strategic partnership. We are confident that combining the potential of our countries will have a tangible effect on the agro-industrial complex of the region and strengthen Kazakh - Chinese cooperation,” noted Erbol Issakaev, Chairman of the Executive Board - Rector of Kozybayev University, at the meeting with Chinese partners.