Kyzylorda region to reduce rice planting areas
Amid an acute water shortage, Kyzylorda region is implementing a set of measures aimed at more efficient use of irrigation water, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to the regional agriculture and land relations department, the area of rice fields will be reduced to 77,700 hectares next year under the roadmap.
It is planned to expand the cultivation of crops that consume significantly less water, such as corn, soybeans, and oilseeds. At the same time, the practice of introducing water-saving technologies will also be expanded. Laser leveling of fields has proven effective. This year, farmers leveled 60,000 hectares of rice fields, which reduced water consumption by 20% while increasing yields.
In 2026, the figure is expected to reach 65,000 hectares, and by 2028, laser leveling will be completed across all cultivated areas.
This year, 8,100 hectares of crops were irrigated using drip and sprinkler methods, twice as much as last year.
It should be noted, Kazakhstan breeds a new water-saving rice variety.
