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In one of the most significant agri-investments in Kazakhstan’s history, Switzerland-based Harvest Group has committed $500 million to convert up to 300,000 hectares of pastureland into productive agricultural land across rural Kazakhstan.

The move signals a major step in the company’s long-term commitment to building resilient, sustainable food systems worldwide.

The investment, led through local subsidiary Harvest Agro Holding, was formalised this month with the signing of an agreement between Harvest Agro Holding’s director, Yerzhan Elekeev, and Daulet Uvashev, chairman of NC Kazakh Invest – Kazakhstan’s state-backed investment promotion agency. The initiative aims to support both national agricultural development goals and global food security, with a particular emphasis on irrigation efficiency and land productivity.

The project's first phase will see the transformation of 150,000 hectares of remote pasture into irrigated farmland, with the long-term goal of reaching 300,000 hectares. Advanced water-saving technologies, underground water sourcing and soil productivity enhancement techniques will be key to the project, targeting a sixfold increase in agricultural yields. These measures are aligned with Kazakhstan’s national objective of increasing irrigated land to 2.5 million hectares by 2030.

“This initiative is not just about land development, it’s about creating scalable, sustainable solutions to meet the world’s growing demand for food,” said Almaz Alsenov, CEO and founder of Harvest Group. “We see Kazakhstan not only as a strategic partner but also as a critical player in the future of global agriculture.”

Beyond environmental innovation, the investment is expected to generate substantial socio-economic benefits, including the creation of over 1,000 permanent jobs. From agricultural technicians to logistics providers, the project will support a wide range of regional stakeholders.

Development will span several agricultural regions in southern and eastern Kazakhstan, including Zhambyl, Almaty, Zhetysu, Turkestan, Pavlodar, Kyzylorda and East Kazakhstan. The cultivation plan will focus on fodder and high-value crops such as corn and soybean, serving both domestic markets and export demand.

This large-scale project follows Harvest Group’s expansion into Africa, marked by a $12 million investment in Kenya in late 2024. That initiative included the launch of a distribution hub at the Port of Mombasa, aimed at serving rising agri-commodity demand across the African continent.

Founded in 2015 by Kazakh entrepreneur Almaz Alsenov, Harvest Group is a global specialist in agri-commodities, logistics, storage and trade financing. The company’s model combines upstream agricultural production with integrated logistics and financial solutions.