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Agriculture

Kyrgyzstan Produces All Potatoes, Vegetables, Fruit, and Milk It Needs

According to government data, of the eight basic socially significant food products in Kyrgyzstan, domestic production meets the demand only for potatoes, vegetables, fruits, and milk. The demand for bread and bakery products, meat, sugar, eggs, and vegetable (cooking) oil is partly satisfied with imports. This was announced at the Council on Food Security and Nutrition meeting on October 3. From January to July 2024, the levels of self-sufficiency were 86.5% for bread and bakery products, 162.8% for potatoes, 159% for vegetables and fruits, 79.1% for meat, 116.3% for milk, 49.2% for sugar, 71.4% for eggs, and 48.5% for vegetable oil. Kyrgyzstan imports food from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and China. At the meeting, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers - Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry Bakyt Torobaev ordered additional measures to support agricultural production and incentivize local producers. Torobaev also announced the establishment of the Research Institute of Food Security and Nutrition, which will become a center of knowledge and innovation that will help improve the country's food security. The institute's creation will allow scientific research in agronomy and veterinary science and the development of recommendations for improving agricultural product production and processing technologies. It will also cooperate with international organizations and scientific institutions to implement the best global practices in food security.

Waste Recycling

Kazakhstan Recycles 24% of Waste It Produces

Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Zhomart Aliyev said at the VIII Eurasian Business Forum "Green Energy & Waste Recycling" in Astana on October 3 that in 2023, 4.1 million tons of municipal waste were produced across Kazakhstan, and only 24% of that volume was recycled. According to Aliyev, unauthorized landfills remain a big problem. A total of 4,868 such landfills have been identified, and only 32% of them have been recycled. As of 2023, only 624 out of Kazakhstan's 3,016 solid waste landfills met all the environmental requirements. The government has approved 94 investment projects to construct waste processing plants in Kazakhstan, which is expected to increase the country’s municipal waste processing from 1 million to 2.2 million tons annually. The government has also approved a resolution on preferential financing for the construction of waste sorting and recycling plants and a plan to modernize existing solid waste landfills. The government has also drafted a Concept for the Development of Environmental Culture for 2024-2029, which aims to raise public awareness of proper waste management.

Nuclear Referendum

Kazakhstanis Will Be Able to Vote in 61 Countries in the Nuclear Power Referendum

Speaking at a briefing, Secretary of the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Erman said that 76 polling stations in 61 countries abroad will be opened for citizens to participate in the referendum on constructing nuclear power plants. However, the polling station in Lebanon will not open due to the current situation there. “Just today, we held consultations with the Foreign Ministry, and we received information from our colleagues that one polling station in Lebanon will not be opened because, you know, there are full-scale hostilities in that country. The situation there is tough; we cannot risk our voters' and fellow citizens' lives and health. That is why there are currently 76 polling stations and 61 countries,” Erman said, noting that all procedures relating to voting abroad — opening of polling stations, counting of votes, and transfer of information — will be carried out in strict accordance with Kazakhstan's current legislation. Earlier, The Times of Central Asia reported that 177 international observers from 30 countries and four international organizations will monitor the referendum on NPP in Kazakhstan. In addition, on the day of the referendum, 200 foreign journalists from 37 countries will be on the ground to ensure the transparency and objectivity of the referendum. The idea of holding the referendum, which will be held on October 6, 2024, emerged against the backdrop of regular problems with energy supply and the need to modernize infrastructure. An active debate has accompanied the move.

Security

Kazakhstan’s Police Step Up Patrols Near Synagogues and Israeli Diplomatic Facilities

In Kazakhstan, police have intensified patrolling near synagogues and Israeli diplomatic facilities. This was reported on October 2 by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to Shyngys Alekeshev, head of the ministry's department of information policy, the embassy facilities are, as before, under constant police protection, ensuring their safety in the current situation. “All religious sites have also long been under the control of the IAB; patrol routes are closer to these sites. Additionally, video monitoring of the adjacent territory is carried out through the DSC cameras,” he said. On the night of October 1 to 2, Iran fired rockets at the territory of Israel in response to the Israeli ground operation in southern Lebanon and the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. According to the Iranian side, this was only the first wave of the attack, targeting key Israeli military and strategic sites. Earlier, it was reported that Iran was planning to use ballistic missiles in the attack, drawing a sharp reaction from the US. The White House has warned Iran of possible severe consequences if the aggression continues. The Israeli operation in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah facilities, resulted in significant casualties, with 95 people killed and another 172 wounded. Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry has already condemned the airstrike on the residence of the head of the UAE's diplomatic mission in Sudan and called for restraint by urging the parties to resolve conflicts through diplomatic methods.

Science

Scientists in Turkmenistan Develop Lactose Gel for Skin Rejuvenation

Turkmen biotechnologists from the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan have developed an innovative lactose gel designed to rejuvenate and correct age-related skin changes. The State Service for Intellectual Property has officially recognized this technology and issued the relevant patent. The gel, based on milk whey, is used in dermatology and cosmetology. Its key task is to improve skin condition by restoring water and protein balance. Low-frequency ultra phonophoresis allows deep penetration of amino acid molecules, which contributes to cell recovery, improves cell nutrition and moisturizing, and stimulates the regeneration process. The basis of development is milk whey, which contains about 50% of the components important for maintaining skin health, such as proteins, lactose, vitamins, and minerals. These components are actively used in various industries, including cosmetics, due to their high biological value and unique physical and chemical properties. The head of the Academy's biotechnology department, Altyn Rakhmanova, emphasized that using whey in bionanotechnology is not only an effective way to create useful products but also an environmentally friendly approach. It is based on waste-free production, which minimizes the negative impact on the environment while increasing the value of the resulting products. Thus, this development demonstrates an innovative approach in the cosmetics industry, maximizing the benefits of natural resources and creating compelling products for the skin, providing comprehensive rejuvenation and restoration. Other developments in Turkmen science have been reported in recent weeks. Scientists have also developed a therapeutic ointment made of a widespread tree species in the country - maklura. The drug reduces inflammatory processes and helps to tighten wounds. In addition, scientists in Turkmenistan have developed a cream based on oil from silkworm cocoons, which is used in cosmetology. Before that, Turkmen scientists presented crackers made of camel thorn extract.

Transport and Logistics

South Korea to Help Build Dry Ports in Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya and Jizzakh Regions

The Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan announced on October 2 that it had signed a Framework Agreement with the Port Investment Department of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of South Korea to jointly develop a feasibility study for the construction of dry ports and terminals in Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya and Jizzakh regions. According to the Uzbek ministry, the project will help improve the country's transport and logistics infrastructure. Creating inland terminals will be an important step towards increasing Uzbekistan's logistics independence and strengthening its role as the main logistics hub in Central Asia. The project is expected to significantly improve the country’s transport infrastructure and attract new investments to the Syrdarya and Jizzakh regions, supporting the goals of the "Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022-2026." The project is scheduled for completion in September 2025. As one of only two double-landlocked countries in the world (the other being Liechtenstein), Uzbekistan has to ship its exports over long distances through other landlocked countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan. In recent years, the government of Uzbekistan has made substantial progress in improving existing international transport corridors running through the country and in developing new corridors that will allow Uzbekistan to access the markets of the Eurasian Economic Union and European countries, Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and China.