Day: September 29, 2025

Aidarbek Khojanazarov, a member of the Mazhilis, Kazakhstan’s lower house of parliament, has proposed making artificial intelligence (AI) technologies a central tool in managing the country’s land resources.

Speaking at parliamentary hearings on AI development, Khojanazarov highlighted longstanding concerns over non-transparent land allocation, a frequent source of public dissatisfaction. “AI can become a key instrument for fair land management and the preservation of every hectare,” he said. “These technologies can identify those who degrade or pollute soils, forecast risks of erosion, salinization, and desertification, and provide land commissions with objective data for decision-making.”

Khojanazarov also noted that Kazakhstan’s agro-industrial complex suffers from a shortage of specialists, including agronomists, economists, and veterinarians. He argued that AI could mitigate this issue by reducing reliance on narrow expertise while broadening access to cutting-edge tools. “For example, in the U.S., the Farmers Edge platform enables a single agronomist to manage two to three times more land using satellite data and analytics. The British startup CattleEye diagnoses livestock diseases through video analytics, cutting veterinarian visits by 25%. In Kazakhstan, similar innovations could lower barriers to growth and unlock new opportunities for local farmers,” he said.

To support this vision, Khojanazarov proposed the creation of agro-IT accelerators at universities, the introduction of AI assistants for agricultural specialists, and the launch of mobile agro-hubs to train farmers in AI applications.

Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek reported that Kazakhstan is already implementing 62 AI-based projects across various sectors, with 9.7 billion tenge (approximately $18 million) allocated through targeted and grant programs. “Currently, 27 universities and six research institutes across 11 regions are involved, with a total of 479 scientists engaged. The largest concentration of projects is in Almaty and Astana,” Nurbek said.

Zhaslan Madiyev, head of the newly formed Ministry for AI Development and Digital Transformation, announced that the International Center for Artificial Intelligence, alem.ai, will open this October in Astana. The center will serve as a platform for uniting researchers, entrepreneurs, civil servants, and technologists working on domestic AI solutions, including those in agriculture. Madiyev noted that Astana Hub, Central Asia’s largest IT startup technopark, has reached capacity, and the new center will complement its infrastructure.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan launched Central Asia’s most powerful supercomputer in July, reinforcing its ambition to become a regional technology hub.

The Ministry of Agriculture of Kyrgyzstan is urging the country’s agribusiness sector to expand the cultivation of winter wheat, citing its higher yields and potential to strengthen national food security.

According to a recent ministry study, winter wheat yields are 20-30 percent higher than those of spring wheat. Officials noted that greater productivity could ensure more stable incomes for farmers, while year-round demand for high-quality grain provides additional incentives for cultivation.

“The vegetation period of winter crops begins earlier, allowing farmers to harvest ahead of spring crops and, if necessary, secure a second harvest. This boosts agribusiness revenue. Autumn sowing also benefits from higher soil moisture, which ensures better germination and deeper plant rooting,” the ministry stated.

President Sadyr Japarov has previously criticized Kyrgyzstan’s reliance on wheat imports, noting that the country currently produces only 40 percent of its domestic wheat needs. The remaining 60 percent is met through imports. During the Soviet era, Kyrgyzstan produced up to 1.5 million tons of wheat annually, exceeding its domestic demand of 1 million tons.

The ministry emphasized that winter wheat cultivation has steadily declined since the early 2000s, when farmers began relying more on imported grain from Kazakhstan and later Russia. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, this year, Kyrgyzstan increased wheat imports from Kazakhstan eightfold due to rising prices for Russian grain.

Currently, Kyrgyz farmers cultivate wheat on 250,000 hectares, producing around 650,000 tons annually. Most of this is spring wheat, which yields approximately 35 percent less than winter varieties. The ministry plans to expand the total sowing area by 100,000 hectares, prioritizing winter wheat to reduce import dependence and enhance food security.