Astana, Kazakhstan - On 16 July 2024, Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), held a meeting with Mr. Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan.
During the meeting, Ambassador Aryn highlighted the significance of establishing a dedicated Ministry for water resources, as it reflects the growing significance of water issues in Kazakhstan's broader development strategy, emphasizing that effective water management is essential for ensuring food security. He highlighted the IOFS's mission and ongoing activities, particularly the IOFS Program for Water Management in Agriculture. One of the initiatives under this program is the development of a project for establishing a Center for Flood Resilience for Food Security, aimed at mitigating the impacts of floods on agricultural communities.
Minister Nurzhigitov outlined the primary tasks and objectives of the newly formed Ministry, reaffirming the government's commitment to enhancing water resource management and irrigation systems. He expressed interest for potential collaborative efforts to address water management challenges in Kazakhstan. The discussions focused on several areas of potential collaboration, including: capacity building, enhancing policy and legal frameworks in water governance technology transfer, transboundary water management.
Both parties agreed to establish a working group focused on water management development for food security. This working group will serve as a platform to facilitate ongoing cooperation and implement joint initiatives aimed at improving water management practices and ensuring sustainable food security in Kazakhstan.
