Agro-Climatic Zoning of the Territory of Northern Kazakhstan for Zoning of Agricultural Crops Under Conditions of Climate Change

Abstract

Assessments of the agro-climatic resources of Northern Kazakhstan are urgently needed in the face of climate change and increasing threats to food security in the world, and they can provide valuable information for specialists in the field of agriculture. To assess the agro-climatic conditions of Northern Kazakhstan, the following agro-climatic indices were used: heat availability, moisture availability, and aridity of the growing season for the period 1991–2023. The research results rendered it possible to build maps of the spatial distribution of agro-climatic indicators, and five agro-climatic zones, ranging from “moderately humid moderately warm” in the north to “very arid moderately hot” in the south of Northern Kazakhstan, were identified. Recommendations were developed with respect to the agro-climatic zoning of main crops, taking into account the climatic resources of Northern Kazakhstan. The data obtained will be used for the strategic planning of the agricultural crop industry in Northern Kazakhstan.