Kazakhstan and the Netherlands have created a joint committee for agricultural development
As stated by the Vice Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan Azat Sultanov, representatives of Kazakhstan and the Netherlands will meet annually, and also invite business representatives and specialists to the meetings in order to further implement joint projects in the agricultural sector.
“Cooperation with the Kingdom of the Netherlands in agriculture is one of our priorities - this area has enormous potential. The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan is interested in expanding bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture and increasing trade turnover. Kazakhstan has great opportunities for the production and export of high-quality and environmentally friendly agricultural products,” noted Azat Sultanov.
According to him, the trade turnover of agricultural goods between states in the nine months of 2023 amounted to $61.7 million, which is 32.4% more than for the same period in 2022 ($46.6 million). Azat Sultanov emphasized that Kazakhstan ranks 32nd among 113 countries in the Global Food Security Index and is a leader among post-Soviet states. Kazakhstan has enormous potential to become a food supplier to markets near and far.The Vice Minister voiced Kazakhstan's proposals for cooperation. The first is to intensify cooperation in the field of science and education. Azat Sultanov proposed organizing a student exchange program between universities, as well as allocating joint grants for Kazakh students and specialists to study at agricultural universities in the Netherlands. The second is to intensify work in the field of exchange of experience in the field of veterinary medicine.
“We have received a proposal from the Dutch veterinary company Royal GD about their readiness to implement a project in the field of prevention and treatment of animal diseases. It involves studying Kazakhstan’s experience and developing recommendations for its improvement,” the vice minister noted.
The third proposal is the development of seed production in Kazakhstan. Taking into account the rich experience of the Netherlands, the agricultural industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan will benefit from studying large-scale production of agricultural seeds. Azat Sultanov asked the committee to consider the possibility of sending analytical information about the historical experience of the Netherlands.
“The Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan is ready for active interaction with Dutch colleagues in all the above-mentioned areas. I am confident that the agreements reached at today’s meeting will contribute to the further development of cooperation in the field of agriculture between our countries,” the vice minister concluded.
Photo: press service of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan
