Kazakhstan's water-saving irrigation technology coverage area increases to 702,300 hectares

en.Wedoany.com Reported - As of September 1, the area of farmland in Kazakhstan using modern water-saving irrigation technology has reached 702,300 hectares, accounting for 36% of the country's approximately 1.9 million hectares of irrigated farmland. The area covered by relevant technologies was 237,100 hectares in 2023, increasing to 389,900 hectares in 2024, reaching 543,500 hectares in 2025, and adding another 158,800 hectares since 2026.

Drip irrigation is currently the fastest-expanding technology pathway. In 2023, Kazakhstan's drip irrigation area was 42,500 hectares, and by 2026 it had increased to 254,300 hectares; sprinkler irrigation area expanded from 188,300 hectares to 379,000 hectares over the same period. Since 2026 alone, 86,500 hectares of new drip irrigation area and 65,900 hectares of new sprinkler irrigation area have been added.

New water-saving irrigation projects are mainly concentrated in the southern and southeastern agricultural regions. Of the 158,800 hectares added in 2026, approximately 50,000 hectares are in Turkistan Region, 25,500 hectares in Almaty Region, 19,200 hectares in Kyzylorda Region, 11,800 hectares in Jetisu Region, and 10,200 hectares in Jambyl Region. Jambyl, Kyzylorda, and Turkistan together possess approximately 905,000 hectares of irrigated land, making them key areas for current water-saving irrigation support.

Kazakhstan is also simultaneously expanding its local irrigation equipment manufacturing capacity. Over the past two years, the number of domestic related manufacturing enterprises has increased from 4 to 7, including 3 in Turkistan Region, 2 in Astana, and 1 each in Almaty and Atyrau Regions. Existing enterprises have a combined annual production capacity of approximately 3,390 sprinkler irrigation units, capable of covering the irrigation needs of approximately 205,000 hectares of farmland. Since 2026, agricultural producers have purchased approximately 1,010 sprinkler irrigation units, corresponding to an irrigation area of approximately 65,600 hectares.

Kazakhstan has previously advanced irrigation equipment localization projects. In June of this year, news was published on the Weidu website about Kazakhstan and Valmont advancing local assembly of VALLEY sprinkler irrigation equipment. The project plans to establish a reserve of approximately 250 units in Karaganda Region, capable of meeting the irrigation needs of nearly 25,000 hectares of farmland. The new milestone in September centers on the national water-saving irrigation actual coverage area rising to 702,300 hectares, as well as the newly implemented drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation areas in 2026 and local equipment production capacity data.

According to the latest plan of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, water-saving irrigation coverage area will increase to 912,200 hectares in 2027, with an estimated water savings of approximately 1.428 billion cubic meters; it will expand to 1.1 million hectares in 2028, reach 1.2 million hectares in 2029, and is planned to cover 1.3 million hectares by 2030, at which point annual water savings could reach up to 2.2 billion cubic meters.