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KAZAKHSTAN-CHINA AGRICULTURAL CENTER: LAUNCH OF LONG-TERM COOPERATION
Kozybayev University signed memoranda with the Henan Agricultural Investment Corporation and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
The signing took place in Beijing during the visit of the North Kazakhstan Region delegation led by regional Akim Gauez Nurmukhambetov, which included representatives of the only university in the region.
The joint initiative - the opening of the Kazakhstan-China Scientific Agricultural Center - will give a strong boost to the development of agriculture in Northern Kazakhstan, where the agricultural sector plays a key role in the economy. The project envisions investments in the development of agricultural industries, modern infrastructure, the transfer of advanced technologies, and specialist training.
Speaking at the 2nd Forum of Agricultural Workers in Astana, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the need for further development of the agro-industrial complex (APC) and outlined a set of tasks aimed at increasing sector efficiency and strengthening the country’s food security.
In this context, the scientific community and regional agrarians face the task of attracting investment and enhancing APC efficiency. The launch of the Kazakhstan-China Scientific Agricultural Center will contribute to achieving several of these goals at once:
1. Breeding and seed production of cereals, oilseeds, legumes, and forage crops, with subsequent expansion of seed production areas.
2. Sustainable feed production and processing of agricultural products.
3. Soil fertility monitoring and management, improving fertilizer efficiency.
4. Digitalization and “smart agriculture”: crop monitoring, process digitization, and the use of AI and drones for yield forecasting.
5. Adaptation of agriculture to climate change.
Currently, the Akimat of the North Kazakhstan Region has allocated a 30-hectare pilot site for these purposes. Scientists have access to Kozybayev University’s laboratory complex, and the project involves university faculty and students.
The Henan Agricultural Investment Group is participating in the project with its investments, equipment, research, and expert capacity. Seed material has also been provided, and modern dormitories will be built along with new laboratories.
This corporation is one of the largest agricultural investment companies in China, with an annual turnover of tens of billions of yuan, offering comprehensive solutions in the agro-industrial complex, from production to processing and distribution.
During the visit, delegates were able to see the Henan Huahuaniu Dairy Group’s dairy plant firsthand. The company is among the key leading enterprises in China’s agricultural industry and is listed among the country’s top 20 dairy enterprises (D20). The group’s annual sales exceed 2.2 billion yuan, and the plant employs over 2,800 staff. Every day, the facility produces large volumes of products, ranging from pasteurized and ultra-pasteurized milk to yogurts, fermented beverages, and other dairy items.
During the visit, guests were shown the modern automated production lines, the multi-stage quality control system, and laboratories where every batch of products is tested. Huahuaniu Dairy Group emphasizes innovation, environmental sustainability, and raw material traceability, maintaining high standards of safety and quality.
The cooperation project is planned for a minimum of 10 years and is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as local executive authorities. The overall goal is to achieve high yields from elite seed varieties and scale them up for agricultural enterprises in the North Kazakhstan Region, subsequently increasing the region’s export potential.
A memorandum of intent for scientific and academic cooperation was also signed with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).
The agreement provides for:
- Joint scientific research in the field of agricultural production management;
- Research internships for faculty members (professors and teaching staff) and master’s students at the Beijing Academy, including access to its research facilities and laboratories;
- Dual-degree programs.
This collaboration will significantly strengthen the scientific potential of Kazakhstan’s northern region, where the agricultural sector is one of the economy’s priorities.
Overall, Kozybayev University has been engaged in productive collaboration with Chinese partners for nearly nine years. Together with the Northwest A&F University, an Agrotechnopark and two demonstration sites have been established; large-scale variety trials of 13 agricultural crops have been conducted, and over 70 varieties have been tested. During this period, active exchanges have taken place: 30 Chinese faculty members and over 90 students have completed training and internships, while from Petropavlovsk, 25 students, 15 faculty members, and three doctoral students have participated. Additionally, two dual-degree programs are being implemented.
For Northern Kazakhstan, such cooperation represents a strategic step, creating new opportunities for the development of the agricultural sector at the intersection of science, innovation, and practice. The new collaboration project with the Henan Agricultural Investment Corporation will serve as a hub for the transfer of agrotechnologies between Kazakhstan and China and as a growth point for applied research with direct practical implementation on the region’s farms.
