Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting on the progress of the irrigation season and the supply of irrigation water to the southern regions of the country as part of the President’s tasks on sustainable agricultural development. Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov presented a report on the situation in the regions, and the akims of Turkistan and Kyzylorda regions also delivered reports.

The meeting focused on the current water management situation in the southern regions. According to the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, as of now, the volume of water in reservoirs stands at 19.2 billion cubic meters. It was noted that 98% of irrigation water is used in five southern regions — Zhetysu, Almaty, Zhambyl, Turkistan, and Kyzylorda — where 1.2 million hectares of land are irrigated.

According to the approved plan, 10.1 billion m³ of water is scheduled to be delivered to these regions during the current irrigation season. As of July 15, 7 billion m³ has already been withdrawn, with an additional 3.1 billion m³ expected to be used before the end of the growing season. According to RSE "Kazhydromet", the current irrigation season is ongoing amid a shortage of precipitation in the southern regions.

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov reported that in Almaty and Zhetysu regions, water supply to agricultural lands remains stable. To improve efficiency and responsiveness, a deployed team from the Ministry and RSE "Kazvodkhoz" is working on-site in these regions.

In Zhambyl region, the irrigation season is proceeding as planned. The water situation in the Shu-Talas basin remains stable and under constant monitoring. For the current irrigation season, the planned water supply volume from the Shu and Talas rivers from April to September 2025 is 625 million m³. Since early July, a backup pumping station on the Shu River in the village of Kainar, Kordai district, has been activated, which has increased water delivery to downstream areas. Additionally, a section of the Shu River has been cleared by the local branch of RSE "Kazvodkhoz".

In Turkistan and Kyzylorda regions, the irrigation season began 20 days earlier than the average. Due to reduced moisture in the upper soil layer, water consumption by crops at the early stage increased by an average of 50%, creating additional pressure on irrigation sources.

A system of alternating and night-time irrigation has been introduced, optimizing water usage and ensuring even watering of farmland. Drainage and return water reuse is being actively implemented, contributing to water savings and reduced anthropogenic pressure on ecosystems. Vertical drainage and pump stations have been activated, helping to stabilize groundwater levels and enhance reclamation measures on irrigated lands. For coordination, deputy heads of the Water Resources Regulation, Protection and Use Committee are stationed in Turkistan region.

During the meeting, Minister Nurzhigitov also reported cases of unauthorized planting of water-intensive crops in Turkistan region and illegal water use in the southern regions.

Olzhas Bektenov instructed to ensure strict control over the rational use of available water resources and to prevent such violations in the future. The Turkistan region akimat was tasked with taking timely measures to ensure uninterrupted water supply for the population. Emphasis was placed on shifting to proactive water risk management focused on efficiency, savings, and interagency cooperation. Officials responsible for unauthorized planting of water-intensive crops will face disciplinary action.

The meeting also reviewed measures being taken to use groundwater resources to supply drinking water to Atyrau and Mangystau regions.

#The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan #Agriculture #water resources

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