Kazakhstan's first machine farm using the advanced technologies has opened in Almaty, marking the beginning of the new era of sustainable urban agriculture

BoomGrow, Southeast Asia's leading vertical farming company, has taken a significant step by launching its first "machine farm" in Central Asia. The farm was opened on the territory of Satbayev University, which acted as the project partner. The opening ceremony was attended by Satbayev University’s Rector Meiram Begentayev, and the CEO of BoomGrow, Murali Dessan, as well as the key partners and the invited guests.

The modular farm, designed and assembled in Malaysia, was delivered to Almaty with a fully equipped precision farming system, for which BoomGrow has filed a patent application. This technology empowers to precisely adjust and control temperature, lighting, nutrient supply and other important parameters, ensuring a stable and high-quality harvest regardless of external climatic conditions. The farm's products do not contain pesticides, and the harvest is carried out at the peak of maturity, which permits to preserve maximum nutrients.

"From day one, our goal at BoomGrow has been to implement local farming systems in regions where traditional farming is difficult and where the population is heavily dependent on the imported food. The first machine farm in Almaty, implemented with the support of Satbayev University, is a powerful step towards achieving the given goal. We are pleased to continue to evolve this technology together and foster innovations that can transform the future of sustainable agriculture in the region," said Murali Dessan, co-founder and BoomGrow’s CEO.

Satbayev University, one of the leading technical universities in Kazakhstan, has become a key initiator of this project, demonstrating its commitment to ESG-based innovation, as well as its desire to become a leader in elaborating the scalable solutions in the urban agriculture field at the national level. The farm on the university's campus serves as a dynamic platform for scientific research, hands-on learning, and interdisciplinary development in areas such as artificial intelligence, agrobiology, and sustainable systems design. In addition to academic purposes, fresh locally grown greens will be supplied to nearby restaurants, providing the local population with direct access to clean and healthy products grown just a few meters from the consumer.

"For Satbayev University, this is not just a technological project - it is a contribution to the sustainable future of Kazakhstan, - Satbayev University’s Rector Meiram Begentayev. – Such projects and their impact on the community and environment seemed fantastic yesterday, but today our wildest dreams are becoming reality. We are convinced that it is at the intersection of science, innovation and international cooperation that solutions are born that can change our way of life for the better."

“Kamchatka” restaurant, together with Six Coffee+Wine coffee shop, conducted a tasting of products after the opening ceremony and officially included the greens grown on the machine farm in their menu. The farm is only 500 meters from the restaurant, which underlines the shared commitment to the use of fresh ingredients, transparency of the origin of products and an environmentally responsible approach to procurement.

*The quality of each ingredient that we use to prepare meals for our guests is important to us. The local farm 500 meters from the restaurant allows us to get fresh greens daily with a minimum carbon footprint - this is a step towards a more conscious and environmentally friendly approach. And for our guests, this is a guarantee of freshness and true taste of nature, which is felt in every dish.

The launch became part of Kazakhstan-wide “Taza Kazakhstan” program, which creates community gardens, sustainable food systems and Community Gardens on the territory of universities to grow vegetables, fruits and herbs and strengthen food security at the local level. In the recent speech, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the relevance of innovation in the given area, stating that:

"Innovative approaches are needed to ensure stable supplies of food and fertilizers to world markets. Kazakhstan, which exports large volumes of wheat and flour to the international market, aims to further improve the methods and technologies of sustainable agriculture”.

BoomGrow vertical farming technology is gaining popularity not only as a solution to food production problems, but also as a basis for evolving the infrastructure and the economy as a whole. For the hotel and restaurant business, this means stable year-round access to clean and high-quality ingredients. For investors, it is a reproducible and resource-efficient model that can be scaled in various urban environments. For healthcare institutions and pharmaceutical companies, it is a controlled and safe environment for producing the nutritious crops. And for government officials and researchers, it is a source of practical data and a real prototype for building sustainable food systems in an urban environment and climate change.

The successful launch of the first BoomGrow machine farm at Satbayev University clearly demonstrates what can be achieved when academia, local businesses, and international partners join forces to create a more sustainable, secure, and progressive nutrition future for all.

About the company:

BoomGrow is an innovative agrotechnological company that is transforming the urban agriculture with its own vertical farming system based on artificial intelligence. Using converted shipping containers - the so-called "machine farms" - BoomGrow grows pesticide-free greens under controlled conditions, ensuring consistent quality and freshness all year round. The company's innovative approach makes it possible to reduce the use of land, water and human labor by 95% compared to traditional agriculture, which is especially important in the context of climate change and urbanization. With the mission to make nutritious and sustainable food accessible to all, BoomGrow is shaping the future of agriculture in Central Asia and beyond.