Kazakhstan Cracks Down on Water Black Market in Farming

Kazakhstan is stepping up efforts to combat the “black market” for water in the agricultural sector, as illegal water use by farmers remains a growing concern.

Kazakh Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov said that about 10 per cent of all water used by farmers is taken illegally-either without formal contracts or by changing crops without proper authorization, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

In 2025, authorities identified 226 such violations.

Offenders face penalties 1.5 to 2 times higher than standard water tariffs, the minister said, as the government seeks to deter illegal practices and promote responsible water use.

In addition, Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General’s Office is forming a special working group to dismantle the agricultural water black market and strengthen oversight of water distribution across the country.