Several amendments were made to the Land Code this year. Murat Temirzhanov, Chairman of the Land Resources Management Committee under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, outlined the four most significant changes.
One key change aims to increase transparency in the leasing of land plots. Tenders for the lease of agricultural land will be moved entirely to an electronic format and conducted via the state property registry portal. Local executive bodies (akimats) will grant land based on the protocol issued following the tender process. While this provision was adopted this year, it will not take effect until January 1, 2027.
Furthermore, the regulations regarding the repossession of pasture land have been relaxed. Pasture land is now considered "unused" if it is utilized at less than 30% of its maximum permissible capacity. This utilization rate is calculated based on the number of livestock registered to a farm relative to the area of the pasture. Previously, measures could be taken against a land user if the utilization rate fell below 50% of the maximum capacity.
In addition, the process for inheriting land-use rights has been simplified. Previously, such rights could only be acquired through statutory inheritance (inheritance by law); now, they may also be included in a will.
Another legislative change applies not only to the agro-industrial complex but to other industrial sectors as well. It is now possible to obtain land for the construction of an industrial facility even in the absence of a detailed planning project or a master plan. In such cases, land may be allocated for a project, provided there is confirmation that the necessary urban planning documentation can be developed subsequently. Such projects are also subject to mandatory public hearings. The official or entity that authorized the land allocation bears responsibility if the required documentation is not developed in a timely manner before the facility is commissioned.