Rafis Abazov
Published on 23 September 2025
As part of the landmark Green Week 2025 hosted by Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (KazNARU), a special presentation was held to unveil two transformative training manuals developed through a joint initiative by the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and KazNARU. These manuals—Biochar Application for Sustainable Soil Improvement and Smart Agriculture: IoT-Based Technologies—offer practical, low-cost solutions tailored for researchers, students, and farmers across Central Asia and the wider Global South.
Presented by IOFS Project Manager Mr. Bakytzhan Arystanbek, the manuals were introduced during a dedicated workshop attended by 48 participants, including faculty, Master’s and PhD students, and researchers from KazNARU’s Water and IT Hub, as well as representatives of other institutions. The session featured hands-on demonstrations in collaboration with Kyzylorda University and Astana IT University, showcasing real-world applications of biochar and IoT technologies in agriculture.
The Biochar manual highlights pyrolysis techniques and field-tested case studies from Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and Türkiye, offering scalable methods to improve soil fertility, water retention, and climate resilience. The SmartAgri manual introduces IoT-based tools for precision farming, including sensor networks, cloud platforms, and AI-driven systems for irrigation and crop monitoring.
These resources are designed to empower agricultural communities with affordable, accessible innovations that reduce reliance on chemical inputs and enhance digital literacy. As KazNARU's Vice Rector, Prof. Rafis Abazov noted, “Our goal is to democratize agricultural technology—making it usable and impactful for smallholder farmers and young innovators across the Global South.”
The manuals align with IOFS’s Vision 2031 and ICESCO’s commitment to science and technology for food security. Certificates were awarded to participants, reinforcing the initiative’s focus on capacity-building and youth engagement.
This presentation marks a milestone in Kazakhstan’s leadership in sustainable agriculture and its role in fostering South-South cooperation. By bridging traditional practices with modern innovation, the manuals serve as living tools for future training, research, and field deployment—advancing the SDGs and transforming agriculture from the ground up.
