ALMATY – Taraz will host a new high-tech plant for smart water management and irrigation systems, established under a cooperation agreement between the Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and a consortium of Chinese companies, signed by Minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov and Director and Chief Economist of Yellow River Engineering Consulting Yin Dewen, reported the ministry’s press service on Dec. 15.
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov and Director and Chief Economist of Yellow River Engineering Consulting Yin Dewen. Photo credit: Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation
The new enterprise will manufacture a wide range of digital and automated systems, including smart monitoring tools, water-level and water-quality sensors, dispatching platforms for irrigation networks, and early-warning systems for floods and emergency situations.
The project aims to localize widely used technologies in China, facilitating knowledge transfer and the adoption of modern water-management standards in Kazakhstan. According to the ministry, the plant will form part of an integrated center that combines equipment manufacturing with specialist training, professional development, and the adaptation of digital solutions to Kazakhstan’s climatic and hydrological conditions.
It is expected that the project will improve irrigation network efficiency, reduce water losses, and strengthen Kazakhstan’s long-term water security. Nurzhigitov emphasized that cooperation with Chinese partners has already produced tangible benefits for the sector.
“We agreed to work together in several areas. First and foremost, this is the reconstruction of irrigation systems with mandatory automation and digitalization. The second is personnel training. Over the past two years we have developed active cooperation with Chinese enterprises,” he said.
