Kazakhstan's farmers embrace irrigation to transform drylands into fertile fields

Farmers in Eastern Kazakhstan are turning to irrigated farming to boost crop production. The shift includes new water-saving technologies and infrastructure to support larger yields. The Kyzylbulak agricultural cooperative in Tarbagatai District has set aside 260 hectares for vegetables and melons. On 150 of these hectares, water-saving technologies have already been introduced. A new well and a 60-cubic-metre reservoir were built to improve water storage for the fields.

In Zaisan District, drip irrigation is now in use on family farms. Talgat Barkhanov’s farm applies the system across 300 hectares of sunflower and pumpkin crops. The technology uses only 70-80 litres of water per 500 hectares. Under the Aul Amanaty program, farmers have also bought modern sprinklers and installed drip irrigation systems.

So far, 3,000 hectares of Zaisan District’s 12,000 hectares of arable land have been equipped with irrigation systems. The adoption of these methods aims to increase crop yields across the region. Water storage and efficient irrigation are now supporting larger areas of farmland. The changes reflect a growing investment in sustainable farming practices.