World Monitor Magazine WM_November_2019_web | Page 17

DESTINATION europe
as Russia. Therefore, local investors
in the field of greenhouses, dairy and
poultry are extending their production
facilities supplied from the Netherlands.
In particular we see this tendency in the
greenhouse sector – current greenhouse
complexes are being expanded. Almaty.
Almaty oblast alone, for example, is
planning to expand its capacity with
another 60 ha of Dutch greenhouses
by 2022. We see a similar trend in the
dairy sector, for example a dairy factory
in the Aktobe oblast, working with Dutch
equipment, increased its milk production
tremendously using new machinery and
equipment from the Netherlands.
I am proud that we are deeply involved
in the further development of the fruit
sector. A new project, called Dutch
Fruit Solution Kazakhstan (DFSK),
has started this summer in Almaty.
The main objective is to show to local
fruit producers, on a pilot orchard of
about two hectares, what results can
be achieved with Dutch technologies
and propagation materials including
fruit trees irrigation, remote sensing
and cooling storage, etc. Some fruit
trees have already been shipped to
Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan’s fruit growing
sector is looking very promising.
Another
important
form
of
cooperation is knowledge exchange.
Last year two veterinary experts
from the Netherlands shared their
strategies of reducing the use of
antibiotics for cattle breeding during
the AgroWorld exhibition in Almaty.
Just recently, a group of Kazakhstani
potato experts went for a study tour
to the Netherlands. The aim of the
visit was to learn how the potato
sector is regulated in the Netherlands.
There is a significant bilateral
trade portfolio in agriculture,
oil, chemicals and machinery
sectors. Are there any plans to
further increase and widen the
cooperation?
In addition to the above-mentioned
sectors, which remain the priority for
the embassy I would like to mention
another not least important sector for
Kazakhstan to develop for the sake of
its environment protection: waste and
waste water management.
The Kazakhstan government has
tightened its legislation in the waste
management sector. Since January
2019 it is prohibited to dispose certain
types of waste like paper and packaging
materials on landfills, and from 2021 it
will be expanded to construction and
biodegradable waste. The Netherlands
and Kazakhstan could extend their
cooperation in this important field.
Being a small country, we manage to
recycle over 90% of our waste whereas
the remaining part is being sent for
incineration to produce energy.
The Netherlands has come a long way
in this sector, starting from scratch
to developing high-tech solutions
and learning from its own mistakes.
The Netherlands, besides having a
highly developed waste management
sector at home, is also exporting its
technologies and knowledge to other
countries. Witnessing how strongly
Kazakhstan is committed to develop
its waste management sector, we
would like to help your country in this
endeavor. In times of resource scarcity
it perfectly fits into your energy saving
and environment protection agenda.
We plan to organize a study tour for
a group of representatives of the
waste and waste-water management
sector from Kazakhstan to the
Netherlands next year. We hope that
the participants of this trip from
Kazakhstan’s side will bring their
knowledge back home and adapt to
local conditions. Our embassy will
contribute to the intensification of
our bilateral dialogue in this area.
We are ready to ask Dutch experts to
come to Kazakhstan for sharing their
expertise with their counterparts in
Kazakhstan.
All in all, we are willing and able to
be of great help so Kazakhstan can
accelerate its efforts to diversify its
economy in many ways. Not just in
agriculture and energy resources, but
also in sustainability, cyber technology,
small and medium enterprises, startups,
etc. I am convinced that this will help
Kazakhstan to reach to the next higher
level.
supported by EUROBAK
15