Climate Resilient Wheat in Kazakhstan: A Partnership with USAID and UNDP

How did the CRW project begin?

In 2012, the USAID Regional Mission for Central Asian Republics (USAID/CAR) was awarded a $1.1 million integration pilot to help the wheat sector respond to climate variability and change. The project, referred to as Climate Resilient Wheat (CRW), is implemented by the UNDP Project Office in Astana with support on adaptation planning and climate services from the USAID-funded and Washington, DC-based CCRD project.

What is the issue USAID and UNDP are trying to resolve?

Kazakhstan is the ninth largest producer and seventh largest exporter of wheat in the world. With almost half of its exports destined for buyers in Central Asia, Kazakhstan has an important role to play in regional food security. However, Kazakhstan faces many challenges in increasing or even sustaining productivity. The wheat sector is still evolving from a Soviet-style farming system to a “corporate” model featuring advanced cultivation methods, diversified cropping, and utilization of efficient and appropriate technologies and chemical applications.

"One of Kazakhstan's greatest challenges relates to climate variability"
- Glen Anderson, CCRD Chief of Party.

Kazakhstan’s people and economy depends on wheat, and Central Asia in turn depends on Kazakhstan. Climate change is destabilizing the wheat sector, and future projections predict increasing impacts caused by warmer winters, higher winter precipitation, and lower summer precipitation.

What does the video show?

“World of Wheat” showcases the climate and development challenges faced by Kazakhstan's wheat sector and the USAID CCRD's objectives there. You'll hear from stakeholders, partners, and program managers on how CCRD and partners are strengthening Kazakhstan’s ability to anticipate, cope with, and recover from climate-related risks and promoting development in Kazakhstan.

“World of Wheat” features the project team:

Glen Anderson, CCRD COP Robert Bertram, USAID/BFS Gulmira Sergazina, Director of Climate, Kazakhstan

Ashley King, USAID Indonesia Zhyldyz Sadykova, Kyrgyzstan Yerlan Zhumabayev, CRW Director, UNDP

Baktiyar Sadyk, UNDP Vladimir Dranchuk, Farmer, Kazakhstan

 

 

How else is CCRD helping?

CCRD is working with several partners to strengthen Kazakhstan’s ability to anticipate, cope with, and recover from climate-related risks. The Climate Resilient Wheat project focuses on promoting farmer initiatives in four areas:

1. Experimental planting of drought resilient crops
2. Alternative crop rotations and shifting from monoculture to diversified planting
3. Low-till and no-till farming methods, and
4. Access to information from new forecasting technology.

Moreover, the regional importance of the Kazakhstan wheat industry to regional food security makes regional partnerships vital to both stakeholders and implementers. Cooperation and collaboration through the CCRD project is strengthening regional dialogue on wheat, climate change, and regional food security in Central Asia and Afghanistan.

CCRD's work in Kazakhstan depends on ensuring the inclusion of a broad and comprehensive range of regional stakeholders.

Who are the partners?

USAID UNDP Ministry of Agriculture, Kazakhstan Union of Farmers Assoc of Kazakhstan

Kazhydromet National Space Research Institute A.I. Baraev Scientific and Production Grain Institute Kostanay Research Institute of Agriculture

North Kazakhstan Research Institute of Livestock, Breeding, and Crop Husbandry Kazagroinnovation Agricultural Extension Centers in Shortandy, Kostanay, and Kyzylzhar

For more information, contact michaelcote@ccrdproject.com.