Kazakhstan will allocate 214+ billion tenge (~ USD 460 million) in its 2026–2028 budget for investment subsidies to encourage the implementation of water-saving technologies in agriculture. An additional 13.5 billion tenge will go toward subsidising the cost of irrigation water. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan.
Under the new plan, support has been enhanced: reimbursement rates for drilling wells and purchasing water-saving equipment have been increased from 50% to 80%. The government has also introduced differentiated water subsidies; the amount of aid depends directly on the use of water-efficient irrigation systems.
A new water code adopted earlier this year strengthens regulation against unauthorised water use and prohibits economic activities on water bodies and in protected buffer zones.
The reforms also establish a framework for irrigation condominiums, collective maintenance bodies responsible for the upkeep of irrigation and drainage networks. This aims to reduce farmers' costs for the repair and reconstruction of infrastructure.
Another measure allows the construction of reservoirs with a capacity of up to 2 million cubic metres for collecting meltwater, rain, and floodwater for agricultural use.
Source: eldala.kz
