BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 10. Kazakhstan and
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
have discussed the implementation of joint projects in the
country's agricultural sector.


This was stated in a press release issued by Kazakhstan’s
Ministry of Agriculture following a series of meetings between Vice
Minister of Agriculture Yermek Kenzhekhanuly and FAO officials in
Rome, where he is attending the World Food Forum 2026.


According to the Ministry, the talks focused on further
developing the Kazakhstan-FAO Partnership Programme.


At a meeting with Viorel Gutu, FAO Assistant Director-General
and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, who is
also serving as Officer-in-Charge of the FAO Representation in
Kazakhstan, the sides reviewed the results and prospects of
bilateral cooperation.


Minister Kenzhekhanuly stated that projects under the
partnership programme were moving towards practical implementation
and had significant potential to support Kazakhstan's agricultural
sector.


The parties also discussed extending the term of the agreement
on the FAO Liaison and Partnership Office in Kazakhstan and
expanding the portfolio of joint initiatives. Kazakhstan reaffirmed
its interest in further strengthening cooperation with FAO.


Another focus was the use of modern technologies in plant
protection. During a meeting with Shoki AlDobai, head of the NSPPH
cluster at FAO's Plant Production and Protection Division, the
sides discussed a project to improve locust pest monitoring and
forecasting in Kazakhstan through artificial intelligence and
unmanned aerial vehicles.







Furthermore, Kenzhekhanuly said that AI and drones could improve
monitoring and forecasting accuracy and help authorities respond
more quickly to potential threats to agriculture.


The participants also discussed the next stages of the project
and the possibility of applying the experience gained to combat
other agricultural pests, including in Central Asian countries.


Domestic plant breeding and seed production were the focus of a
separate meeting with Chikelu Mba, deputy director of FAO's NSP
Division.


The sides discussed the National Initiative "Kazakhstan's
Varieties and Seeds," which aims to strengthen national capacity in
plant breeding and seed production. They also considered the
initiative's practical results and ways to improve its
effectiveness for domestic agricultural producers.


Following the meetings, the sides confirmed their interest in
continuing joint projects and expanding cooperation in priority
areas of agricultural policy.