Tashkent hosted the inaugural meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of Central Asian countries, where participants discussed ways to strengthen regional cooperation, advance sustainable agriculture, and enhance food security across the region.
The event gathered heads of agricultural ministries, representatives of the diplomatic community, and international organizations. The Kazakh delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Yerbol Taszhurekov.
In his remarks, he emphasized that the coordinated efforts of Central Asian leaders have significantly elevated regional cooperation, with agriculture becoming a strategic pillar of integration.
The Deputy Minister presented Kazakhstan’s progress in developing its agro-industrial sector. He noted that the country continues to diversify its crop structure: the area under oilseeds has expanded by 1 million hectares, and pulse crops by 300,000 hectares. Irrigated agriculture is also accelerating — the area using water-saving technologies nearly doubled in two years, reaching 590,000 hectares, with a target of 1.3 million hectares by 2030.
Due to modernization and state support, Kazakhstan has achieved record harvests of grains and oilseeds for the second consecutive year.
Agricultural trade between Kazakhstan and Central Asian partners amounted to $2.3 billion from January to September 2025 — a 24.4% increase year-on-year. Kazakhstan primarily exports wheat, flour, vegetable oil, beef, and sugar, while importing fruits and vegetables.
Participants reviewed prospects for expanding transport, energy, and innovation infrastructure, including the development of cross-border logistics hubs. Kazakhstan highlighted successful cases such as the Central Asia Industrial Cooperation Center on the border with Uzbekistan and the Alatau Industrial and Logistics Complex on the border with Kyrgyzstan.
A major outcome of the meeting was the signing of a Joint Declaration and the Central Asia Food Security Plan until 2030, initiated by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The document aims to enhance coordination in agricultural policy and deepen regional integration.
The ministers also discussed the proposed establishment of a Regional Center for Sustainable Agriculture, an initiative put forward by President Tokayev. The center would serve as a hub for knowledge exchange and the adoption of advanced agricultural practices.
At the conclusion of the meeting, all parties reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation and developing joint projects.
📌 Source: Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan
