The Kyrgyz authorities are taking a step towards the digitalization of agriculture and natural resource management. The country’s Cabinet of Ministers has decided to establish a state-owned company, Kyrgyz Sputnik, which will focus on the use of satellite data in key economic sectors. The new entity will be created as an open joint-stock company with 100% state ownership. Its founder will be the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry.
Kyrgyz Sputnik is expected to serve as a tool for expanding the use of aerospace data in natural resource management. The company’s infrastructure will be located in the city of Karakol in the Issyk-Kul region.
The creation of Kyrgyz Sputnik is intended to lay the groundwork for developing national expertise in space technologies and strengthening the country’s technological independence. The authorities view the project as a long-term investment in sustainable development, security, and the growth of an innovation-driven economy.
At the same time, Kyrgyzstan has already begun implementing satellite solutions in agriculture. According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture Asel Kenenbaeva, the ministry is cooperating with international operators that provide high-resolution satellite imagery. Kenenbaeva said such data can be used to monitor crop conditions and cultivated areas, as well as oversee pasture use. It can also help analyse water resources and detect plant diseases.
The information obtained will be made available to farmers, enabling them to assess the condition of their fields in near real time and receive recommendations on cultivation and fertilisation.
