National livestock expedition in reality show format kicks off in Kazakhstan

The expedition will run through May 16 and cover at least 10 regions of the country, bringing together education, industry analytics, and content production in a reality-show format for the first time. The expedition’s general partners are Compass, Wendy’s, Kusto Group, and Kazpetrol Group.

The expedition route will pass through the country’s key livestock-producing regions: Pavlodar region, Abai region, East Kazakhstan region, Zhetysu region, Almaty region, Turkistan region, Kyzylorda region, Ulytau region, Kostanay region, and Akmola region.

Over 16 days, participants will travel more than 6,000 kilometers and visit 10 model farms representing various segments of the industry - from reproduction and feed production to fattening and processing.

The project will bring together around 40 participants along with a support team, including experts, veterinarians, mechanics, and a media crew. It will be a deep immersion into the real economy of livestock farming: participants will work in field conditions, study production processes, and engage directly with farm owners and industry experts.

In addition, the program includes mentorship support, featuring regular reviews of participants’ ideas and proposals, as well as one-on-one work with experts throughout the route.

As a result, expedition members are expected not only to enhance their knowledge but also to develop a clear understanding of industry entry points, economic models, and opportunities to launch their own projects.

The expedition will be led by its key mentor - Chairman of the Board of the Turan Association, head of the Bereke farm, and founder of the Dala.Camp community Zhanibek Kenzhebayev.

Dala.Camp is a national field-based media project designed to showcase the real state of Kazakhstan’s livestock sector: its strong farms, systemic challenges, and growth points. The expedition route has been designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the industry. Over the course of the journey, they will study beef and dairy cattle breeding, sheep farming, horse breeding, camel breeding, as well as feed production and processing. The format is not based on lectures, but on hands-on fieldwork, with daily analysis of farm economics, direct interaction with farm owners, and evaluation of business models, said Zhanibek Kenzhebayev.

According to him, the expedition aims to bring together farmers, investors, experts, the government, and society around a new agenda that positions livestock farming as a strategic sector for Kazakhstan’s future.

A leading research university in the country is participating in such a field-based project as a strategic partner. The expedition team from the Nazarbayev University ecosystem and NU Impact Foundation includes researchers, biologists, and technology startups.

Kazakhstan is one of the world’s largest livestock countries in terms of potential. Nazarbayev University has scientific competencies that can directly serve the industry, including biotechnology, embryo technologies, productivity enhancement, processing, and land monitoring. The mission of NU Impact Foundation is to ensure these competencies reach the real sector, are implemented in practice, and scaled. Leading universities worldwide have long worked in close integration with the real sector: going into the field, into production, into industry. Today, Nazarbayev University and NU Impact Foundation are taking this step in Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector. Researchers, biologists, and startups from our ecosystem are joining the expedition to observe, listen, and understand how the industry functions from within. This is the first step toward a substantive dialogue between science and the agri-industry, noted Sayat Nyussupov, Chairman of the Board of NU Impact Foundation.

Particular attention will be paid to the project’s media component. The expedition will serve as the basis for a multi-episode reality show to be released over six months, as well as a feature-length documentary film. Each participant will become part of the narrative, while the expedition itself will unfold as a dramatic story about people, decisions, and the transformation of the industry.

The content will also include daily publications and short-form video formats, forming a long-term media product with a reach of millions of users.

As part of the route, participants will also visit significant historical and cultural sites of Kazakhstan, linking the economic agenda with the broader national and regional context. These include the Bayanaul National Park, Gornaya Ulbinka, the Charyn Canyon, Lake Alakol, the Altyn-Emel National Park, the Turgai Trikvetr, and others.

The expedition is viewed as a starting point for new solutions and long-term industry development. Organizers expect the project to boost interest in the sector, attract investors and partners, and serve as a catalyst for launching new projects in livestock farming, processing, and exports.

Our main goal is to help shape a sustainable perception of livestock farming as an industry that is understandable to society, attractive to investors, and significant for the national agenda. Kazakhstan is a protein power. Livestock farming should become a new driver of economic growth, employment, exports, and rural development, added Kenzhebayev.

Following the expedition, NU Impact Foundation, Nazarbayev University and the Kazakhstan Livestock Breeders Association Turan plan to translate field observations into concrete solutions and real projects.

This February, the Kazakhstan Livestock Breeders Association Turan organized the international Dala.Camp forum in Burabay, which became one of the key platforms for discussing the development of beef cattle breeding. The event brought together around 250 delegates from 11 countries. The Turan Association continues to systematically develop initiatives to promote the industry, foster a transparent market, and strengthen Kazakhstan’s export potential.

Earlier, Qazinform reported the Kazakh Government approves the Comprehensive Livestock Development Plan for 2026-2030.