Now dry-steppe zone of Northern Kazakhstan has a limited number of hayfields. Besides, for the past years the number of the natural hayfields has reduced because of destruction of the dams ensuring water supply. Haymaking productivity is very low. Because of lack of forages the cattle grows 20-25% less than it?s required. At the same Akmola area has large volume of the long-fallow areas (1571,2 hectares). Sustainable development of the cattle breading on the area is impossible without additional forage reserves.

The project anticipates different technological approaches to rational use of the long-fallow lands as natural and sowed (improved) fodder lands. During realization of the project the most appropriate technologies for restoration of the degraded pastures will be tested and then recommended to the cattle breeders. Besides, a range of actions directed on introduction of environmentally safe and economically sound pasturing stock-raising methods will be realized.

Project aim:
Conservation of pastures round the settlements from degradation by combining methods of outrun pasturing and creation of sowing lands on degraded lands taking into account conditions of steppe zone of Central Kazakhstan.

Project tasks:
- Creation of sowed hayfields on the long-fallow lands for strengthening the cattle breading forage reserve
- Organization of seasonal pasturing for the local community on the out run pastures
- Selection of the best technologies for the sowed haymaking creation on the long-fallow lands and edition of recommendations
- Project results distribution

Project results:
- Demonstration sites will be established on 250 hectares for training local community members in transmission of the long-fallow lands to highly productive hayfields with yield of 1,5 tones of forage from 1 hectare
- Transmission of the long-fallow lands to highly productive hayfields will give additionally 1,5 tones of forage from 1hectare, which will extend the period of the pastures use for 10-15 days and prolong stabling, and this will promote better rehabilitation of the pastures
- Additional forage will increase cattle productivity for 20 -25%
- Pastures forage capacity will raise for15- 30%
- The entire pastures rational use territory will make up 200 hectares
- The income out of the pastures with sustainable use scheme will increase due to the live weight growing for 35 ? 40 kg in comparison with the cattle pastured on the degraded territories
- Informational brochure with recommendations for cattle breeders will be prepared and distributed
- At least 10-15 farms will take part in the project; the families not sufficiently provided with the forage for cattle could purchase it at a lower price