ASTANA – Kazakhstan has expanded the use of water-saving irrigation technologies to 702,300 hectares of irrigated farmland as of Sept. 1, 2026, nearly three times the area recorded in 2023, as the government seeks to reduce agricultural water losses and improve irrigation efficiency.
Photo credit: Atameken Business
Modern irrigation systems were used on 237,100 hectares in 2023. The area increased to 389,900 hectares in 2024 and 543,500 hectares in 2025, before reaching 702,300 hectares this year. Water-saving technologies now cover 36% of the country’s 1.9 million hectares of irrigated farmland, the Prime Minister’s press service reported.
The expansion comes as Kazakhstan faces growing pressure on water resources and seeks to improve the efficiency of agricultural water use, particularly in regions dependent on transboundary water sources.
Drip irrigation expands nearly sixfold
Drip irrigation has recorded the fastest growth among modern irrigation technologies, with its coverage increasing from 42,500 hectares in 2023 to 254,300 hectares in 2026. Sprinkler irrigation expanded from 188,300 hectares to 379,000 hectares over the same period.
Since the beginning of 2026, drip irrigation systems have been introduced across 86,500 hectares, while sprinkler systems have been installed on another 65,900 hectares. The government plans to expand water-saving technologies to 912,200 hectares in 2027, 1.1 million hectares in 2028, 1.2 million hectares in 2029 and 1.3 million hectares by 2030. At the planned 2030 level, the technologies are expected to save up to 2.2 billion cubic meters of water annually.
According to the government, modern irrigation systems can reduce irrigation water consumption by an average of 20–30%. The actual savings depend on the crop, climate, soil, terrain and condition of on-farm irrigation infrastructure.
In 2025, water-saving systems covering 543,500 hectares were estimated to have saved around 874 million cubic meters of irrigation water.
Southern regions remain a priority
The expansion is concentrated in regions with extensive irrigated agriculture and high demand for water. Of the additional 158,800 hectares brought under water-saving irrigation in 2026, around 50,000 hectares were in the Turkistan Region, 25,500 hectares in the Almaty Region, 19,200 hectares in the Kyzylorda Region, 11,800 hectares in the Zhetisu Region and 10,200 hectares in the Zhambyl Region.
The Zhambyl, Kyzylorda and Turkistan regions have been given priority in government support measures. Together, they account for about 905,000 hectares of irrigated land and have significant dependence on transboundary water resources. The government is also supporting measures including laser field leveling, subsidies for electricity used to pump groundwater, moisture-charging irrigation and washing of saline soils.
Domestic irrigation equipment production expands
The expansion of modern irrigation is also creating demand for locally manufactured equipment. The number of domestic producers in the sector has increased from four to seven over the past two years. Three plants operate in the Turkistan Region, two in Astana, and one each in Almaty and the Atyrau Region.
Their combined production capacity reaches 3,390 sprinkler machines annually, enough to irrigate about 205,000 hectares. With domestic demand estimated at 1,000–1,200 machines a year, current production capacity is described as broadly sufficient to meet farmers’ needs.
Since the beginning of 2026, agricultural producers have purchased around 1,010 sprinkler machines for irrigation of 65,600 hectares. The government’s longer-term target is to bring 1.3 million hectares under water-saving technologies by 2030, linking investment in irrigation infrastructure and domestic equipment production with efforts to reduce agricultural water consumption.
