Kazakhstan and IsDB Partner to Modernize Climate-Resilient Water Infrastructure

Kazakhstan has initiated a large-scale modernization of its hydraulic infrastructure to address the regional water deficit with financial support from the Islamic Development Bank. The government and the bank have established the parameters for the first phase of the Climate Resilient Water Resources Development project. This initiative involves upgrading obsolete irrigation systems and constructing new hydrological facilities to improve national water security.

The program includes the creation of four new reservoirs and the capital reconstruction of seven existing facilities. Construction efforts will focus primarily on agricultural regions, where the renovation of 151 irrigation canals is planned. With a total length of approximately 3,000 kilometers, the updated network aims to mitigate the significant water loss caused by deteriorating infrastructure. The modernization of these canals serves as a foundational tool for the adaptation of Kazakhstan’s agro-industrial complex to changing climate conditions.

Progress on the program was reviewed during a working meeting between Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, and Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, President of the Islamic Development Bank. The preparatory phase is complete, and a pool of international technical consultants has been established to oversee the implementation of the works.

Construction and assembly are currently underway at 88 drainage canal sites. Simultaneously, tender procedures have been launched to select general contractors for the construction and repair of reservoir dams. Bank officials have noted that the Kazakh strategy for water management modernization could serve as a functional model for other partner countries – those facing similar climate challenges and water shortages.