Kazakhstan proposes Central Asian food security and water management strategy to 2030

ASTANA. Aug 8 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan has proposed a collaborative strategy for Central Asian countries to enhance food security and manage water resources by developing a strategic plan and a unified data platform.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made this suggestion in his article "The Renaissance of Central Asia: Towards Sustainable Development and Prosperity," published in Kazakhstanskaya Pravda.

Tokayev highlighted the impact of "the ongoing geopolitical crisis on global food security and stressed the need for coordinated measures to reduce Central Asia's dependence on external factors."

He proposed developing "a Strategic Plan for Food Security in Central Asia by 2030, including a unified information platform for data analysis and exchange among the five countries."

The article also emphasizes the critical link between food security and water availability. Tokayev pointed out that recent water shortages affecting the region "have negatively impacted agricultural communities and caused significant economic harm."

He suggested enhancing cooperation through the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) and creating an International Water-Energy Consortium with a focus on food security.

Additionally, Tokayev highlighted major regional energy projects, such as the construction of the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant in Kyrgyzstan and the Rogun Hydropower Plant in Tajikistan, as significant for the region's energy future.