On 29th May, an industry analytical report on the results of the Dala.Camp National Livestock Expedition was presented in Astana as part of the “Dialogue between Science and Industry” roundtable discussion, organised by the NU Impact Foundation jointly with the Kazakhstan Livestock Breeders Association “Turan”. The report focused on the export potential of beef livestock, systemic challenges in the industry, and the development of Kazakhstan’s tourism infrastructure. The event took place at the Өnergy Creative Hub at Nazarbayev University.
The roundtable discussion took place at the Өnergy Creative Hub at Nazarbayev University and was the final event of the Dala.Camp expedition, which ran from 1st to 16th May, 2026. General partners of the expedition were Compass, Wendy’s, Kusto Group, and Kazpetrol Group, while strategic partners included Nazarbayev University and the NU Impact Foundation.
The participants travelled more than 7,500 kilometres, visiting over 12 regions of the country, livestock farms, processing plants, and tourist sites.
As noted by the Turan Association Chairman and Dala.Camp founder Zhanibek Kenzhebaev, the project’s main goal was to study the industry directly “in the field”.
“Over 16 days, the expedition documented the industry firsthand — from seed and feed production to export shipments. We wanted to see where the industry is losing efficiency and what solutions Kazakhstan really needs today,” Kenzhebayev noted.
One of the key topics of the report was Kazakhstan’s new veterinary status. On 22nd May, 2026, the country received the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) status of “foot-and-mouth disease-free with vaccination” throughout the country, becoming the only Central Asian country with such a status.
“The export permit has been received. But the chain is not yet in place,” stated Zhanibek Kenzhebaev.
According to him, for the first time in a long time, Kazakhstan has gained an opportunity to gain a foothold in major export markets, including China, the Persian Gulf, and Southeast Asia. However, the export window remains limited, and the production chain itself is not yet ready for full-fledged international competition.
Key industry indicators were presented during the presentation. According to the report, the cattle population in Kazakhstan reached 9–9.2 million heads, meat production of all types amounted to 1.2 million tons, and meat exports increased by almost 25% over the first 11 months of 2025, reaching 91,300 tons. Lamb exports increased by 92.8%, while beef exports increased by 59.1%.
Zhanibek Kenzhebaev noted that the industry’s quantitative growth does not yet indicate a qualitative transition. According to the study, approximately 90% of the total cattle population remains outside the industrial sector: 45.5% are kept on private farms, 44.1% on farms and individual entrepreneurs, and only 10.4% are concentrated in agricultural enterprises.
The report devotes special attention to the Comprehensive Livestock Development Plan for 2026–2030, developed at the request of the Head of State. Kenzhebaev emphasised that further growth in the industry must be accompanied by increased productivity, the introduction of technology, and the development of genetics.
During the presentation, a comparative analysis of Kazakhstan with leading global meat exporters was presented. While in the US slaughter weight reaches 380–420 kg, and in Canada and France it’s around 370 kg, in Kazakhstan, the figures often remain at under 250 kg.
“The gap with global leaders is measured not by the number of heads, but by productivity per animal. It’s closed by genetics, feed, and technology, not simply by herd growth,” Kenzhebaev noted.
The report’s key findings include the fragility of Kazakhstan’s new export status, value losses at the junctions of the production chain, the industry’s lagging productivity, and the need to focus on two or three export niches rather than attempting to compete “on the entire market at once.”
The report’s authors also identified three key conditions for the industry’s export competitiveness: product traceability, access to financing, and the consolidation of small and medium-sized businesses through cooperation and associations.
In addition, five priority recommendations were presented for the next 12–24 months. These include maintaining foot-and-mouth disease status, developing a network of nursery farms, launching genetics programs and embryo laboratories, securing Kazakhstan’s place in export niches, and implementing traceability systems.
The report also presented three possible development trajectories for the industry through 2031: a business-as-usual scenario, in which Kazakhstan remains a raw material supplier; a target scenario, in which it becomes a systemic meat exporter; and a risk scenario, in which Kazakhstan loses its export window.
Following the roundtable discussion, a cooperation agreement was signed between the NU Impact Foundation, the Kazakhstan Livestock Breeders Association “Turan”, the Republican Centre for Livestock Breeding “Asyl-Tulіk”, and the National Laboratory Astana.
The cooperation agreement was signed by four parties. The NU Impact Foundation, a corporate foundation that promotes innovation, science, and technology in Kazakhstan, was represented by its Chairman of the Board, Sayat Nyusupov. The Kazakhstan Livestock Breeders Association “Turan”, an industry association representing the interests of meat producers and working to increase the export potential of the country’s livestock industry, was represented by its Chairman of the Board, Zhanibek Kenzhebayev. The Republican Centre for Livestock Breeding “Asyl-Tulik”, a state organisation responsible for breeding, genetics, and improving livestock productivity in Kazakhstan, was represented by its Deputy Chairman of the Board, Bolat Seisenov. National Laboratory Astana, a research laboratory at Nazarbayev University specialising in biotechnology, genomics, and applied scientific research, was represented by its Director General, Dos Sarbasov.
“It was crucial for us to go beyond university laboratories and see the situation on the ground, which is why representatives of the Nazarbayev University ecosystem took part in the Dala.Camp expedition. Kazakhstan already has strong farms with high potential. The goal of Nazarbayev University and the NU Impact Foundation is to translate science into practice. The agreement we signed today is precisely about this. Biotechnology, genetics, breeding, and personnel training — all of this is already part of our ecosystem. Now we are taking on the responsibility of applying this where it is truly needed. Today, we finally brought science and industry together, and this is just the beginning. Maintaining foot-and-mouth disease-free status, developing embryonic technologies, a genome bank, and digital solutions for the industry—all of this requires a systematic scientific foundation. This is where the role of the University and the Foundation becomes crucial. We have agreed on specific pilot projects and will continue this dialogue,” noted Sayat Nyusupov, Chairman of the Board of the NU Impact Foundation.
Roundtable participants discussed promising areas of cooperation related to the implementation of digital technologies in livestock farming. Among the ideas discussed was the development of industry-specific digital services for farmers that could contribute to increased farm efficiency and improved interactions between market participants.
The event also announced the creation of a bovine reproductive technology centre at Nazarbayev University with the support of the NU Impact Foundation and the Turan Association. The centre is expected to develop domestic bovine embryos, advance breeding, and train specialists in agribiotechnology.
Following the Dala.Camp expedition, the organisers are also preparing a multi-part reality show and a documentary film dedicated to livestock farming, the regional economy, and Kazakhstan’s tourism potential.
