Kazakhstan and China to Jointly Develop Biopesticides

Kazakhstani and Chinese researchers have agreed to jointly develop biological crop protection products and prepare for their production in Kazakhstan. A memorandum of understanding was signed by the National Agrarian Research and Education Center, the Kazakh Research Institute of Plant Protection and Quarantine named after Zhazken Zhiembayev, and the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPPCAAS). The agreement covers joint research and the development and testing of biopesticides. It also provides for technology exchange and specialist training, as well as the commercialization of research findings. The parties plan to establish local production of biological crop protection products in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture said the project could increase the use of biological products and reduce the country’s dependence on imported crop protection supplies. The memorandum was signed during a visit by representatives of IPPCAAS, China Agricultural University, and Zhongbao. The visit included an international seminar on pest management. Researchers and specialists discussed integrated plant protection and biological pest control. They also considered phytosanitary monitoring and possible joint research projects. The Chinese delegation is expected to visit Kazakhstani research organizations and agricultural enterprises to examine local methods of monitoring major pests. The memorandum follows earlier cooperation between Kazakhstan and China in agricultural science. In recent years, the two countries have expanded joint work on plant protection and crop breeding. Cooperation has also covered food security and agricultural technologies. Interest in biological crop protection is growing elsewhere in Central Asia. A year earlier, Kyrgyzstan conducted nationwide trials of biological pesticides against locusts in an effort to reduce the use of chemical treatments and their environmental impact. Domestic production could reduce Kazakhstan’s import costs and give farmers easier access to new crop protection products. The practical impact will depend on whether the research and testing program leads to commercial-scale production.