Kazakhstan Encyclopedia - User contributions [en]

Agriculture in Kazakhstan

2017-03-17T15:54:35Z

Haakonsson: fix ref error

[[File:Песня жаворонка(3264-2448).jpg|thumb|right|300px|Grain fields near [[Kokshetau]]]]

'''Agriculture in Kazakhstan''' remains a small scale sector of [[Kazakhstan|Kazakhstan's]] [[Economy of Kazakhstan|economy]]. Agriculture's contribution to the [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] is under 10% - it was recorded as 6.7%, and as occupying only 20% of labor. At the same time, more than 70% of its land is occupied in crops and animal husbandry. Compared to [[North America]], a relatively small percentage of land is used for crops, with the percentage being higher in the north of the country. 70% of the agricultural land is permanent pastureland.

Kazakhstan's largest crop is [[wheat]], which it exports. It ranks as the sixth largest wheat producer in the world.<ref name=SRI>{{cite news | url=http://silkroadintelligencer.com/2008/03/06/kazakhstans-wheat-dilemma/ | title=Kazakhstan's wheat dilemma | publisher=Silk Road Intelligencer | date=March 2008 | accessdate=2008-06-26}}</ref> Minor crops include [[barley]], [[cotton]], [[sugar beet]]s, [[sunflower]]s, [[flax]], and [[rice]]. Agricultural lands in Kazakhstan were depleted of their nutrients during the [[Virgin Lands Campaign]] during the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] era. This continues to affect production today. [[Kazakh wine]] is produced in the mountains east of Almaty.

In 2011 the country had achieved record grain harvests of 26.9 million tonnes, exceeding the previous record of 21mn tonnes recorded in 2009. For 2012, the Kazakh Agriculture Ministry cut the crop forecast to only 14 million tons because of dry weather.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kazakhstan Maintains Grain Export Levels|url=http://www.satrapia.com/news/article/kazakhstan-maintains-grain-export-levels/|accessdate=21 July 2012|newspaper=The Gazette of Central Asia|date=21 July 2012|publisher=Satrapia}}</ref><ref>http://www.companiesandmarkets.com/Summary-Market-Report/kazakhstan-food-and-drink-report-q1-2010-169546.asp</ref>

Animals raised in Kazakhstan include cattle, chickens, sheep, pigs, horses and goats (in descending order of numbers). Meat production in tons was highest in cows, pork, mutton(meat), chicken, and "other meat". Wool, cow milk, and eggs are the other major animal products of the country.

Kazakhstan has the largest [[wolf]] population of any nation in the world, with about 90,000.

In March 2015 the Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan said that Kazakhstan had almost doubled agricultural production in the past 5 years.<ref name=agri22>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan doubled agricultural production in the recent 5 years|url=http://www.finchannel.com/index.php/business/item/41760-kazakhstan-doubled-agricultural-production-in-the-recent-5-years-a-mamytbekov|website=www.finchannel.com/}}</ref> He also noted that the agricultural exports had increased by 1.6 times during that period and had reached 3 billion USD.<ref name="agri22"/>

On July 23, 2015, the Kazakhstan Vice Minister of Agriculture said that within the framework of the law "On Agricultural Cooperation" a special tax regime would be introduced for agricultural cooperatives.<ref name=kaziag>{{cite web|title=Special tax regime to be provided to agricultural cooperatives - Agriculture Ministry|url=http://www.inform.kz/eng/article/2799598|website=http://www.inform.kz}}</ref> This initiative is expected to contribute to the development of the agricultural sector of Kazakhstan.

From 1995 to 2015 Kazakhstan’s volume of agricultural production has increased by 41%. Agricultural exports were worth $379 million in 2015, reports the Ministry of Agriculture.<ref>{{cite web|title=Investment in agriculture totals 167 billion tenge in 2015|url=http://kazakh-tv.kz/en/view/business/page_157525_investments-in-agriculture-totals-167-billion-tenge-in-2015|website=kazakh-tv.kz}}</ref> Investment in Kazakh agriculture increased 50% in 2016 totaling 228 billion tenge (US$686.96 million) compared to 148 billion tenge (US$445.92 million) a year earlier.<ref>{{cite web|title=KazAgroFinance Seeks to Grow Agricultural Technology, Production|url=http://astanatimes.com/2017/01/kazagrofinance-seeks-to-grow-agricultural-technology-production/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

==State programs==

=== Agribusiness - 2020 ===
In February 2013, the Government of Kazakhstan approved a new sectoral program of agro-industrial complex development for 2013-2020 “Agribusiness – 2020” at a session chaired by Prime Minister [[Serik Akhmetov]].<ref name=primeminister1>{{cite web|title=The official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan|url=http://www.primeminister.kz/news/show/29/v-pravitelstve-prinjali-programmu-razvitija-apk-«agrobiznes-2020»/12-02-2013?lang=en|website=www.primeminister.kz}}</ref> The Agribusiness-2020 Program aims to develop four dimensions: financial recovery, increase of affordability of products, works and services for the agro-industrial sector entities, development of the state system of agricultural producers support, improvement of efficiency of the state management system of the agro-industrial complex.<ref name="primeminister1"/>

In line with the Agribusiness-2020 Program, the [[Government of Kazakhstan]] approved one stimulation package in April 2014: the rules of subsidizing efforts to restore agricultural companies to health.<ref name=tengri1>{{cite news|title=Tengrinews|url=http://en.tengrinews.kz/finance/Kazakhstan-to-subsidize-agro-industry-253092/|publisher=Tengrinews}}</ref> In the first half of 2014 it is planned to provide 140 billion tenge ($770 million) to second-tier banks for this purpose.<ref name="tengri1"/> Experts doubt that capital subsidies alone can provide a remedy to Kazakhstan's agricultural development challenges. Instead, more encompassing institutional reforms such as improvements in the rural education system and a devolution of political power to local decision makers are recommended.<ref name=IAMO>{{cite web | url=http://www.iamo.de/dok/IAMOPolicyBrief15_en.pdf/ | title=A policy agenda for agricultural development in Kazakhstan | publisher=Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) Policy Brief 15 | date=February 2014 | accessdate=2014-10-18}}</ref>

=== Financing of cooperatives ===
In 2016 Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture launched a program aimed at providing financing to cooperatives that help farms buy equipment, store and transport products, provide veterinary services, organize the supply of fodder and agrochemical products and help with lending.<ref name="agrcoop">{{cite web|title=Government to launch additional 410 agricultural cooperatives to assist small farms|url=http://astanatimes.com/2017/03/government-to-launch-additional-410-agricultural-cooperatives-to-assist-small-farms/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref> This program allowed 157 cooperatives provide assistance to 15,000 farms. The cooperatives created more than 100 milk collecting centres and 7,000 forage bases.<ref name="agrcoop"/>

== Grain production ==

Kazakhstan is one of the world’s major wheat and flour exporters. It is among the 10 largest wheat producers. The main grain crop is milling wheat, which is typically high in quality and protein. There is a growing trend for Kazakhstan to export its grain internationally.<ref name=embassy1>{{cite web |title=Agricultural Sector|url=http://www.kazakhembus.com/page/agricultural-sector|website=Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan}}</ref> In 2011, the country netted a record crop – nearly 27m tonnes, which enabled it to set its grain export target at nearly 15m tonnes for the 2011/2012 marketing year.<ref name="embassy1"/> FAS/Astana forecasts Kazakhstan’s wheat production in 2014 at 14.5 million tons, up from 13.9 million tons in 2013.<ref name=usda1>{{cite web|title=USDA: Grain Report |url=http://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/Grain%20and%20Feed%20Annual_Astana_Kazakhstan%20-%20Republic%20of_4-1-2014.pdf |website=http://gain.fas.usda.gov}}</ref>

In July 2015, Minister of the National Economy Yerbolat Dossayev announced that Kazakhstan would increase export of grain and flour to Kyrgyzstan by 50-60% by 2020 after Kyrgyzstan's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union.<ref name=kazi>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan to increase export of grain and flour to Kyrgyzstan by 50-60% - National Economy Minister|url=http://kazinform.kz/eng/article/2795201|website=kazinform.kz}}</ref> According to the head of the ministry, as of July 2015 trade turnover between the two countries was more than US$1 billion.<ref name="kazi"/>

=== Long-term production trends ===

In 2013, the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture released a Master Plan for “The stabilization of the grain market”.<ref name="usda1"/> This Plan is in support of their Agribusiness – 2020 program and in it the Ministry sets goals and projections for grain production, consumption and exports between 2013-2020.<ref name="usda1"/> A few key trends shown in these projections include:

* The Ministry projects sown area for all grains to stay relatively steady over this period, falling only slightly.
* There is projected to be a sizeable shift from wheat, with wheat area projected to fall 2 million hectares (14 percent) from 13.5 million hectares in 2012 to 11.5 million hectares in 2020.
* Most of that reduced area is expected to be replaced with so called “feed crops” primarily feed grains, which are projected to increase 1.5 million hectares (53 percent) from 2.8 million hectares to 4.3 million hectares in 2020.<ref name="usda1"/>

== Investments ==
In 2014 the volume of investments in Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector exceeded 166 billion KZT, which is 17 percent more than in 2013.<ref name=agri>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan ups investments in agriculture|url=http://www.azernews.az/region/77170.html|website=www.azernews.az/}}</ref> The aggregate profitability index of large and medium-sized companies operating in Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector stood at 17.7 percent, while this index was equal to 4.5 percent in the same period of 2013.<ref name="agri"/>

Investment in agriculture in 2015 increased 3.4 times, which totaled to 167 billion tenge.<ref>{{cite web|title=Investments in agriculture totals 167 billion tenge in 2015|url=http://kazakh-tv.kz/en/view/business/page_157525_investments-in-agriculture-totals-167-billion-tenge-in-2015|website=kazakh-tv.kz}}</ref>

== Partnerships ==
On May 23, 2015, United Nations [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da Silva and Kazakhstani Minister of Agriculture Assylzhan Mamytbekov signed an agreement establishing an FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in the country.<ref name=grain>{{cite web|title=FAO to create liaison office in Kazakhstan|url=http://www.world-grain.com/articles/news_home/World_Grain_News/2015/05/FAO_to_create_liaison_office_i.aspx?ID={4140A973-219A-4A21-B31E-C1B2E3A97DBA}&cck=1|website=http://www.world-grain.com/}}</ref> The FAO's new partnership with Kazakhstan will bring FAO and the government together to support national development goals and priorities as well as assist other countries in the region.<ref name="grain"/>

== See also ==
*[[Agriculture in Central Asia]]
*[[Kazakhstan]]
*[[Agriculture]]

== Sources ==
*[http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Kazakhstan-AGRICULTURE.html Agriculture in Kazakhstan]
*[http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Kazakhstan-ANIMAL-HUSBANDRY.html Animal Husbandry in Kazakhstan]
*[http://bs-agro.com/index.php/news/kazakhstan Agriculture in the Black Sea Region]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Asia topic|Agriculture in}}
{{Europe topic|Agriculture in}}
{{Kazakhstan topics}}

[[Category:Agriculture in Kazakhstan|*]]

Women in Kazakhstan

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Haakonsson: fix ref error

{{Infobox women
|image = Kazakh woman.jpg
|caption = Kazakh woman, 2005
|gii = 0.312 (2012)
|gii_rank = 51st
|matdeath = 51 (2010)
|womparl = 18.2% (2012)
|femed = 99.3% (2010)
|womlab = 66.6% (2011)
| ggg = 0.7218 (2013)
| ggg_rank = 32nd
| ggg_ref = <ref name="ggr">{{cite web|title=The Global Gender Gap Report 2013|url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2013.pdf#page=20|publisher=World Economic Forum|pages=12–13}}</ref>
}}
{{Women in society sidebar}}
'''Women in Kazakhstan''' are women who live in or are from [[Kazakhstan]]. Their position in society has been and is influenced by a variety of factors, including local traditions and customs, decades of Soviet regime, rapid social and economic changes and instability after independence, and new emerging Western values.

==Historical context==
Kazakhstan gained its independence in 1991, after being a part of the Soviet Union for more than 70 years. Following its independence, Kazakhstan's economy, being in a period of transition, experienced, particularly in the 1990s, a strong decline and destabilization: by 1995 real GDP dropped to 61,4% of its 1990 level, resulting also in a [[brain drain]].<ref>http://www.kazakhstan.orexca.com/kazakhstan_economics.shtml</ref><ref>http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/briefing_note/join/2013/522303/EXPO-INTA_SP%282013%29522303_EN.pdf</ref> This situation of economic depression, coupled with emerging traditionalist views on women's roles in society, has had a negative effect on women. Nevertheless, the 1990s also had some positives for women, such as the accession to the [[Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women]] in 1998.<ref>https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-8&chapter=4&lang=en</ref> After its independence, Kazakhstan inherited an education system which was quite developed, but during the period of transition, shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, the education sector suffered serious losses, was continuously under-funded, and school closures, especially in rural areas, were common.<ref>http://www.unescobkk.org/education/resources/resources/education-system-profiles/kazakhstan/sector-wide-challenges/</ref> However, today the [[literacy rate]] of women in Kazakhstan is among the highest in the world at 99.8%, similar to that of men (as of 2015).<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html</ref>

The “Concept of state demographic policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan” was ratified in 2000, which prioritized demographic problems on the same line with national security issues. It allowed addressing the issues of population rise and women's rights in accordance with the long run political model "Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy." <ref>{{cite web|title=The Analysis of Women’s Marital Rights in Kazakhstan: Challenges of Gender Equality. |url=https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/hrlc/documents/student-conference-2014/aizhan-kapyshevawomen27s-rights-full-paper-(1).pdf |website=www.nottingham.ac.uk}}</ref>

==Reproductive health and fertility==
The [[maternal mortality rate]] in Kazakhstan is 12 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 estimate).<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html</ref> The [[total fertility rate]] is 2.31 children born/woman (as of 2015),<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html</ref> which is slightly above the replacement rate.<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html</ref> The contraceptive prevalence rate is 51% (2010/11).<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html</ref>

==Forced marriage and bride kidnapping==
[[Forced marriage]] and [[bride kidnapping]] are problems with which women and girls are confronted in Kazakhstan, although their exact prevalence is not known. In Kazakhstan, bride kidnapping (''[[alyp qashu]]'') is divided into non-consensual and consensual abductions, ''kelisimsiz alyp qashu'' ("to take and run without agreement") and ''kelissimmen alyp qashu'' ("to take and run with agreement"), respectively.<ref>Cynthia Werner, "The Rise of Nonconsensual Bride Kidnapping in Post-Soviet Kazakhstan", ''in'' ''The Transformation of Central Asia: States and Societies from Soviet Rule to Independence'' (Cornell University Press, 2004: Pauline Jones Luong, ed.), p. 70.</ref> Some kidnappers are motivated by the wish to avoid paying a [[bride price]].<ref>Werner, pp. 71–72.</ref>

==Women's rights==
The government reported to the United Nations their plan 2006-2016 Strategy for Gender Equality in Kazakhstan.<ref name=UNwomen>{{cite web|title=WOMEN’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE TAKES UP REPORT OF KAZAKHSTAN|url=http://www.un.org/press/en/2007/wom1590.doc.htm|publisher=United Nations}}</ref> In 2009 Kazakhstan introduced the law "On Prevention of Domestic Violence." The law provides comprehensive measures to prevent all forms of violence against women.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statement of Ambassador at Large of Kazakhstan at the 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women |url=http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing15/general_discussion/KAZAKHSTAN.pdf|website=www.un.org}}</ref>

International Women's Day is an official state holiday in Kazakhstan.<ref name=IWD>{{cite web|title=Official Holidays |url=http://www.kazembassythailand.org/kazakhstan/national-holidays/}}</ref>

According to the “Youth of Central Asia. Kazakhstan” report prepared by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Research Institute Public Opinion, 84.8% of the youth think women in Kazakhstan have enough rights.<ref>{{cite web|title=Survey shows Kazakh youth are pleased with their country and future |url=http://astanatimes.com/2016/04/survey-shows-kazakh-youth-are-pleased-with-their-country-and-future/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

Kazakhstan was ranked 30th out of 144 countries in gender equality in a 2016 report conducted by nonprofit organization Save the Children. The ranking places Kazakhstan ahead of countries such as the U.S. and Japan.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan Ranks 30th among 144 Nations on Gender Equality |url=http://astanatimes.com/2016/10/kazakhstan-ranks-30th-among-144-nations-on-gender-equality/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

==Women in government==
In December 2009 Kazakhstan adopted the law "On the state guarantees of equal rights and equal opportunities for men and women", which stipulates equal access of men and women to civil service.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statement of Ambassador at Large of Kazakhstan at the 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women|url=http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing15/general_discussion/KAZAKHSTAN.pdf|website=www.un.org}}</ref> There are 28 women in Kazakhstan’s 154-seat Parliament, and women represent 25.2 percent of the lower house of parliament.<ref name=steppesisters>{{cite web|title=Steppe Sisters: Kazakhstan’s Rising Women Politicians|url=http://www.edgekz.com/steppe-sisters-kazakhstans-rising-women-politicians/|publisher=EdgeKZ}}</ref> As of March 2017, the share of women in the lower house of parliament was 27%, which is 10% higher than ten years before.<ref name="womeninkz">{{cite web |title=Women’s contributions give Kazakhstan reason to celebrate|url=http://astanatimes.com/2017/03/womens-contributions-give-kazakhstan-reason-to-celebrate/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

==Women in Business==
In Kazakhstan 28% of manufacturing firms have female ownership.<ref name="wbes">{{cite web|title=Enterprise Surveys - Kazakhstan |url=http://www.enterprisesurveys.org/data/exploreeconomies/2013/kazakhstan#gender|publisher=World Bank}}</ref> 1.44 million women are engaged in business in Kazakhstan.<ref>{{cite web|title=Women Run About 700,000 Kazakh Enterprises|url=http://astanatimes.com/2016/03/women-run-about-700000-kazakh-enterprises/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref> 44% of the country’s small and medium sized businesses are now run by women.<ref name="womeninkz"/>

Kazakhstan's first women's NGO the Association of Business Women of Kazakhstan holds regular summits dedicated to women in business and women's rights. The IV Eurasian Women's Summit was held in Astana in November 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Astana hosts IV Eurasian Women Summit |url=http://www.kazpravda.kz/en/rubric/eeu/astana-hosts-iv-eurasian-women-summit/|website=www.kazpravda.kz}}</ref> During the IV Eurasian Women's Summit, EBRD launched Women in Business programme. Under the programme, EBRD allocates multi-million loans to women-led SME's and assists them with accessing finance and business advice.<ref>{{cite web|title=EBRD launches Women in Business programme for Kazakhstan at Eurasian Women's Summit in Astana |url=http://www.ebrd.com/news/2015/ebrd-launches-women-in-business-programme-for-kazakhstan-at-eurasian-womens-summit-in-astana.html |website=www.ebrd.com}}</ref> The EBRD signed the first credit line under the programme in September 2016, providing 3.72 billion tenge (approximately US$20 million) to Bank CenterCredit for on-lending to women-led SMEs.<ref>{{cite web|title=EBRD launches Women in Business programme for Kazakhstan at Eurasian Women's Summit in Astana|url=http://www.ebrd.com/news/2015/ebrd-launches-women-in-business-programme-for-kazakhstan-at-eurasian-womens-summit-in-astana.html|website=www.ebrd.com}}</ref>

One of the sessions of Astana Economic Forum in 2015 was dedicated to the International Women’s Forum organised by the Kazakh Association of Business Women (ABW). The session was specifically dedicated to the economic benefits of gender equality in Central Asia and Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Forum Empowers ‘Soft Power’ of Female Entrepreneurs|url=http://astanatimes.com/2015/05/forum-empowers-soft-power-of-female-entrepreneurs/ |website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

In 2016 Kazakhstan held its first Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WED) on Nov. 19. WED is a global women’s entrepreneurship support initiative launched in 2014 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan Joins Movement to Empower, Celebrate and Support Women in Business |url=http://astanatimes.com/2016/11/kazakhstan-joins-movement-to-empower-celebrate-and-support-women-in-business/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kazakhstan_1002_(7817490516).jpg|Two young women in Kazakhstan
File:Кентау._Торговки_хлебом_2007.10.JPG|Woman working in [[Kentau]]
File:Kazakhstan_1001_(7811405428).jpg|An elderly woman in Kazakhstan
</gallery>

==References==
{{loc}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Women of Kazakhstan}}

{{Kazakhstan topics}}
{{Asia topic|Women in}}
{{Women in Europe}}

[[Category:Women in Kazakhstan| ]]
[[Category:Women by country|Kazakhstan]]