Farmer To Farmer in Kazakhstan

By Lockie Gary, Hardee County Extension Director

My wife has just purchased for me what I considered to be a very expensive hooded ski parka for my second trip to Kazakhstan. Common sense would tell you that my well worn barn coat and heavy down vest were more than sufficient. After all, this was only a three week visit in March. I even resented trying on the new purchase, but when I arrived on the top of a mountain called Shymbulak at 35¡ below zero with a howling wind, I realized that wives sometimes know best. I love that jacket!

Scope of Work

I was back in Kazakhstan for my seventh Farmer to Farmer assignment as a volunteer cattle consultant under the sponsorship of Winrock, International, a private, non-profit organization that works around the world to increase agricultural productivity and rural employment while protecting the environment. I actually had two Scope of Works. The first was in Almaty, the former capital and largest city where I was to visit three large commercial dairies (600-1600 cows) and offer nutrition and herd health advice and demonstrate artificial insemination. My host was Hisa Akhmatov of Taurus Breeding Service of Central Asia. The second assignment was to travel by plane approximately 1500 miles to the northern border of the country to Petropavlovsk where we were to visit small rural villages and conduct intensive hands-on training in artificial insemination and pre- and post-natal care of calves with the intent of increasing milk production. There my host was Besembe Zhysiev of Agro Consulting Ltd. Company.

Land and People

Kazakhstan consists of a vast flatland, bordered by a high mountain belt in the southeast. Most of the region is desert or has limited and irregular rainfall. Only 15% of the land is arable. Most of the people are Kazakhs or Russians. Astana is the capital. For hundreds of years, the Kazakh people were herders who raised their livestock on the region’s plains. They relied on their herds of sheep, camels, cattle and horses for food, clothing and transportation. This lifestyle began to change when the Russian Empire conquered the Kazakh region. Many Russians settled in the area greatly reducing the grazing lands.

Most of the urban people of Kazakhstan live in apartments or houses. In the rural villages most people live in houses, but without running water. But some Kazakh shepherds still live in traditional tent like dwellings from the nomadic past. Called yurts, these portable homes are made of a circular wooden frame covered with felt. They are made of unbreakable materials and are convenient for transportation and adapted to a nomadic way of life. Two women can dismantle and pack a yurt with its contents onto several horses within two hours time.

The Kazakh people wear both Western-style and traditional clothing. Women generally wear colorful hand-made dresses. Most Kazakh men wear Western-style clothing with a traditional felt hat.

Food

Common Kazakh foods include horse and camel meat dishes and milk products such as cheese and curds. Besh barmak, thinly sliced meat and noodles boiled in broth, is a popular dish. Kumiss, made from fermented mare’s milk, is a traditional drink. Hot tea is served at every meal. Pork is forbidden by Islamic law and all meat is killed by cutting the animal’s throat and draining the blood. It is customary for the host/hostess to cut up whole items of food and distribute them. It is also customary to offer guests the most succulent parts of the meat often the entrails or eyes. To refuse these is considered an insult. In restaurants the person who makes the invitation pays the bill and it is considered an insult to contravene. Etiquette in all Islamic countries is complicated and highly evolved. I have found it wisest to take my cues from my trusted interpreter.

Land and Climate

High, grassy plains called steppes cover large areas of northern Kazakhstan. Sandy deserts extend over much of the south. Northeastern Kazakhstan consists of flat, highly elevated lands that are suitable for farming. As one flies over the north country near Petropavlovsk, there is a conspicuous absence of forest. Careful inspection reveals planted timber next to roads which serve as windbreaks. A series of mountain ranges, including the Tian Shan and the Altai Mountains forms Kazakhstan’s eastern and southeastern borders. Mount Tengri, the highest point rises 20,991 feet in the southeast. Kazakhstan has bitterly cold winters and long hot summers. It receives little rainfall so any farming which is done must include irrigation.

History

Nomadic people lived in what is now the country of Kazakhstan before the birth of Jesus Christ. During the early 1700’s, Russians began migrating to the Kazakh region. After suffering attacks from neighboring peoples, the Kazakhs accepted Russian rule for protection. In 1920, the Communists set up Kazakhstan as a self-governing republic. The Soviet Union was formed in 1922 under Russia’s leadership.

Soviet rule changed many aspects of life. The Soviet Union established a powerful Communist central government in Moscow and took control of all industry and land in Kazakhstan and the other fifteen republics. The Communist Party became the only legal political party. Soviet law forbade certain traditional cultural practices, such as religious instruction. But the Soviet government helped develop agriculture and industry. School and health-care systems were improved.

During the 1950’s, the Soviet government launched a program to expand the use of Kazakhstan’s vast steppes for agriculture. Much of the land was planted with grain. This program, called the Virgin Lands project, brought thousands of people from other parts of the Soviet Union to Kazakhstan. On December 16, 1991, Kazakhstan declared its independence, just nine days before the Soviet Union broke apart. Kazakhstan joined other Soviet republics in a loose association called the Commonwealth of Independence States.

 Before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the government controlled food processing. These government facilities no longer operate. Most of the privatized companies are limping along with outdated equipment and practices. Consequently, livestock farmers lack buyers for their products. At the same time, local consumers cannot afford imported dairy and meat products.

Among the New Independent States, Kazakhstan ranks second in size to Russia and is about four times the size of Texas. Located just south of Russia it has about one-fifth of the former Soviet Union’s arable land and is a major producer of grain, wool and meat. As Kazakh farmers and agri-businesses try to adapt to a market economy, many are requesting technical assistance from Winrock, International’s Farmer to Farmer Program.

Future Outlook

Kazakhstan has resolutely spoken out against terrorism after the September 11th events, and has expressed its readiness to fight in a coalition of other states with all means it has at its disposal. Thus Kazakhstan became the first ex-Soviet republic to promise practical support to the US and its allies in their counter-terrorism efforts.

Keeping in mind that Kazakhstan spent more than seventy years under a totalitarian system, it has had to develop democratic traditions, practically from scratch, and has encountered certain difficulties on the road to reform. At the same time, the results of eleven years of political, economic and social reforms serve as good proof that the progressive direction of Kazakhstan’s development is irreversible.

Muslim New Year

The timing of my trip (March 10-25, 2003) coincided with the Muslim New Year. It also coincided with the outbreak of the US war with Iraq (March 19, 2003) which proved interesting. The Muslim calendar is based on the movements of the moon so the date of the New Year is eleven days earlier each year. This year it was celebrated on Saturday, March 22nd. A few weeks before this date, people put grains of wheat or barley in a little dish to grow. When the New Year arrives which is called Norvuz, the grains have produced shoots and this reminds the people of spring and a new year of life. Observed in the beginning of spring, people celebrate the holiday by greeting the new season with singing, dancing and traditional foods. Traditional rituals are celebrated by many Muslims. For example, the Kurds jump over fire. This is a purification rite and many believe by going over the fire they will get rid of illnesses and misfortunes. Contrary to the Islamic traditions where death and martyrdom mark all the major rituals, New Year’s is a celebration of life. There is no religion affiliated with celebration of the New Day; however, many people do attend mosques on this national holiday. The holiday originated when Iran, which was then Persia, was an agricultural country. People couldn’t go out and visit friends and relatives during the cold winter and once spring came around they used this occasion as a festival.

I Wish You Could Have Been There

For years I had heard of a traditional Kazakh game called Kokpar. Some have called it the world’s roughest sport. It resembles polo but instead of a puck, a headless and armless goat carcass is used. Two opposing teams of indefinite number line up at either end of a large meadow. You just know its going to be exciting! There are no helmets, no protective pads and no gloves. Everyone carries a whip. The official has just barked over the megaphone that there is only one rule – “there are no rules”. At the drop of his hand, both teams charge toward the center of the field where the headless goat lies on the ground. At full gallop the two teams converge and crash into each other. As the horses swirl around the goat carcass, these young athletes lean out of their stirrups and try to grab the goat carcass and carry it over the withers of their horse and across the goal line. Since there are no rules, anything goes and usually does. Anyone approaching the goal line is often run over by another horse or whipped in the face in an effort to force the goat to be dropped.

This is not a game for wimps. Players hit the ground and are overridden on a regular basis. Once in a while someone manages to get a good grip on the goat and sprints across the goal line. Another goat is freshly killed and another team approaches the field. After an afternoon of games, everyone retires to a yurt to relax and recap the day’s games.

Islam

Anyone planning to visit a Muslim country should familiarize themselves with some of the history, culture and beliefs of this increasingly influential religion. Today the strongest sects within Islam are the Sunni and the Shia. The Quran and Sunnah are the two basic sources of Islamic teachings, law and order. The Quran is the main religious book for Muslims and it is considered to be the spoken word of Allah as delivered by his prophet Muhammad. It is sub-divided into thirty equal parts containing 114 chapters or Sura. The most important prayer is the Friday prayer, delivered from a pulpit of the mosque by a prayer leader. In many Muslim countries, Friday is a holiday, with banks and shops closed all day.

Social Customs

It is customary for Muslim households to extend hospitality to people whom Western society would disregard socially. For instance, tradition dictates that anyone who appears at meal times must be invited to share the meal, whatever the reason for their visit. This would apply as much to strangers such as myself as it would to friends or relatives. Hospitality has been a part of Islamic culture and the teaching of Islam has reinforced it. Subjects such as illness or death are not surrounded by taboo as they are in many Western societies, and are discussed with frankness by all.

Islamic families are close-knit, and the importance of family unity cannot be stressed too strongly. Inter-family disputes are cause for public shame and require immediate attention. In Islam it is also encouraged to call a Muslim man ‘my brother’ and a Muslim woman ‘my sister’. Islam regards men as equal, but social conventions, hospitality and politeness of Islamic societies prevent over familiarity.

Personal Observations

When a volunteer spends two to three weeks in a foreign land with a totally different culture it is difficult to determine what accomplishments have been made. How do we measure our impact? In the Cooperative Extension Service of which I am a part, we attempt to measure behavior change. Personally, I don’t attempt to change anyone because I have trouble changing myself. I simply introduce myself as follows: “I am an American farmer whom God has blessed. I want to share with you some ideas that are working for us at home. Americans want to be your friends. We couldn’t all come so they sent me. They have helped to pay my way here and have given you tools and supplies which I want to leave with you. But first we must learn how to use these tools correctly.” As we work together to solve their problems we begin to appreciate each other and in the process become friends. That alone makes the trip worthwhile.

In my travels I have seen shepherds shearing sheep with shards of glass. I have watched old men plow their small fields with buffalo using a single bottom wooden plow. As women milk their camels into wooden buckets, children haul water with sleds or collect dried animal feces to use as fuel. Many of these children live in such remote places they may never ride in a jeep much less own one. Many refugees are living in the open. Around the fire at night everyone wants to hear about life in “Amerika.” The rewards come when the opportunity presents itself to return to that remote village. Friends come out of their homes to meet you. Many have tears in their eyes. When they hug you and won’t let go and you hear them say in broken English, “I love America,” you know you have made a difference.

To my friends at Winrock International, to the Hardee Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs and to the many friends from local churches which have supported me with gifts and prayers, I am deeply grateful.   --Lockie