Support to the Preparation of the Sustainable Livestock Development Project in Kazakhstan

Project Summary:

The objective of this project is to mainstream Green Growth (GG) in the proposed Program for Result (P4R) operation for Sustainable Livestock Development Project in Kazakhstan. Development of an export-oriented meat sector would help Kazakhstan diversify its exports away from oil, better use its other natural resource (pasture and grassland) and promote rural growth. Meanwhile, since Kazakhstan has limited experience with the export-oriented meat sector, substantial international competition can create significant obstacles in its efforts aimed at sustainable livestock development. Moreover, livestock production is associated with a significant carbon and environmental footprint.  While Kazakhstan has declared Green Economy principles as a core of its development pathway through 2050, its government has little experience in policies and principles of GG, especially in the agri-food sector. With KGGTF funding this initiative will help to design the P4R by contributing to technical assessment, which in turn will support policy actions necessary for mainstreaming Green Growth in Government Livestock Program.  This project will also support job creation and contribute to improved incomes in rural areas by incentivizing green investments for productivity gains, increasing technology transfer, and improving food quality and safety. 

This grant is linked to Pipeline Lending ($500,000,000).

List of Activities:

1. Operationalizing Green Growth principles in government programs
2. Development of strategies for competitiveness of Kazakhstan’s meat sector 
3. Development of national guidelines and standards for promoting sustainable and green intensification of livestock production

Outcomes:

Output 1:

• Policy recommendations for transitioning to Green subsidies and agricultural support measures that have economic and climate co-benefits 
• Policy recommendations for operationalizing Green Growth principles in the Government’s Livestock Program 

• Workshops and knowledge events to discuss Green Growth strategies for the Livestock Program

Output 2:

• Options paper and policy recommendations for establishing effective meat traceability system 
• Economic analysis (including climate co-benefits) of sustainable livestock production models  
• Cost-benefit analysis of sustainable intensification of livestock production

Output 3:

• Concept paper for development of national guidelines and training material for environmentally safe manure management 
• Concept paper for development of national regulations for GHG monitoring system of the Government’s Livestock Program, including reporting and public disclosure guidelines 
• Concept paper for development of national guidelines for sustainable grassland planning  
• Economic assessment for sustainable grassland expansion and promotion of investments with climate co-benefits 
• Policy recommendations for promoting farmer training/extension programs for sustainable fodder production 
• Policy recommendations for promoting good animal husbandry practices

Outcomes:

1. Improved efficiency: Complementary measures to promote smart investments and incite changes in consumer behavior driving efficiency.  For example, a combination of smart urban planning, investments in public transport, pricing policies, ICT and social marketing are needed to ensure public transport is affordable, safe, and effectively reduces congestion, local air pollution and its health impacts, and GHG emissions.     

• By applying Green Growth principles, the Livestock Program will gain policy instruments for more efficient government support to producers 

2. Greater resilience: Promote increased resilience.  A primary focus will be to make cities, transport systems more resilient against risks arising from past development mistakes and a changing climate. This includes smart infrastructure design that is well adapted to a variety of futures, protection against extreme weather events, integrated water resources management and mechanisms to avoid disruptions of urban and transport services in cases of natural disasters. 

• Adopting good practice guidelines for manure management, animal husbandry, GHG monitoring, grassland planning 

3. Increased competitiveness: Underpinning the Korean vision of green growth is the notion that a focus on green sustainability need not come at the expense of growth and that greening can also be a source of increased competitiveness.  This is particularly true for transport and urban policies where substantial synergies exist between environment, energy efficiency and growth objectives. 

• Safe and sustainable, export-oriented livestock production

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

• World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• Asian Development Bank (ADB)