Akhanov Zhakhan Ualisherovich Doctor of Agricultural Sciences (1987), corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan (1989), Professor (1993), academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2003), laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan (1984).

Zhakhan Ualisherovich was born on January 12, 1936 in the village of Yanykurgan, Zhanakorgan district, Kyzylorda region. In 1955, he entered the Biology and Soil Faculty of the Kazakh State University named after S. M. Kirov (now Al-Farabi Kazakh National University), graduated in 1960 with a degree in Soil Science.

Akhanov Zh.U. worked at the Institute of Soil Science of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR since 1960, consistently holding the positions of junior researcher and head of the Chui reference point (1960-1967), Scientific Secretary of the Institute of Soil Science (1967-1969), head of the Laboratory of Irrigated Soil Reclamation since 1969 and Deputy Director for Scientific Work (1972-1984) Director from 1984 - 1994 and 1997 - 2001 G. Order of the Red Banner of Labor of the Uspanov Institute of Soil Science. From February 1994 to January 1997 – Member of the Presidium and Academician - Secretary of the Department of Biological Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. According to the results of scientific research in 1968, the candidate 's thesis on the topic was successfully defended: "Water-salt regime of the soils of the lower reaches of the Chu River on the example of the Ulanbel spills" and in 1987 a doctoral dissertation on: "Modern processes of soil formation in the deltas of the rivers of Southern Kazakhstan" (Moscow). In 1993 he was awarded the title of professor, and in 1994 he was elected a corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Zh.U.Akhanov is a prominent scientist in the field of soil science, one of the founders of reclamation soil science in Kazakhstan. The range of scientific research covers fundamental and applied problems of the genesis and reclamation of low-yielding soils, the processes of delta soil formation under conditions of anthropogenic aridization and man-made pollution, land reclamation assessment and zoning of the territory, the development of technology of reclamation and scientific justification of soil fertility restoration.

Under the leadership of Zh.U.Akhanov, the justification of land reclamation assessment was carried out and measures for the rational use and protection of soil resources of Kazakhstan were developed. In the 2-volume monograph "Soil-reclamation conditions of the Volga-Ural interfluve" and "Volga-Ural interfluve as an object of irrigation, the basic laws of the formation of soil-reclamation conditions are substantiated and, on this basis, the prospects for irrigation development are assessed and effective methods of reclamation of the vast territory of the Caspian lowland are developed.

Zh.U.Akhanov has carried out a large volume of fundamental, soil, soil-halogeochemical and reclamation studies in the south of Kazakhstan. Since the 70s, under his leadership, soil reclamation research has been aimed at developing effective technologies for reclamation of soda-saline highly alkaline and saline soils, as well as studying the degree of anthropogenic transformation of the soil cover of the delta plains of Southern Kazakhstan. On the basis of long-term regional and stationary studies, modern processes of delta soil formation, genesis, properties and processes of evolution of delta soils of the Chu River are determined. During many years of research, he established fundamentally new patterns and developed a concept of the genesis and evolution of soils of alluvial plains, based on the genetic and geochemical analysis of the processes of transformation of alluvial soil formation and soil development in conditions of a sharp reduction in river flow, sporadic and continuous aridization of alluvial-delta plains of the desert zone.

He analyzed the specifics of halogeo-chemical processes, the features of humus formation and the humus state of alluvial soils and the issues of complex soil-reclamation zoning of delta plains, which were reflected in fundamental monographs: "Soils of the Chu River Valley" (1871); "Regulation of the water-salt regime of the soils of the Tash-Utkel irrigation massif (1982); "Soil formation in the delta plains of Southern Kazakhstan" (1987).

Under his leadership and with his direct participation, a major theoretical generalization of the results of long-term soil reclamation studies in Kazakhstan was carried out. A map has been compiled, a monograph in 2 parts "Natural reclamation zoning of lowland Kazakhstan" (1993) has been published, in which new concepts of zoning and a comprehensive assessment of natural soil reclamation conditions of the territory have been developed, optimal ways of using soil resources have been substantiated. This work proved the expediency of the development of grain-livestock agriculture on dark chestnut soils and grain on chernozems.

In modern conditions of ecological destabilization of the vast territory of Kazakhstan, the concept of development of soil science in Kazakhstan developed under the leadership of Zh., U.Akhanov is very important. In this regard, under the scientific supervision of Akhanov Zh.U., research work on the fundamental research programs of the Institute was carried out not only from the position of a utilitarian, but also a global basis with the development of specific measures to restore soil fertility. Under his leadership, a comprehensive program of fundamental research "Theoretical and methodological foundations of soil fertility reproduction, their rational use and protection of soil resources" was developed for the Institute. It provides for the solution of very urgent tasks, the solution of those priorities that take place in the long-term development program of the country until 2030.

According to the results of many years of research, Zhakhan Ualesherovich published more than 220 scientific papers, including 9 monographs, received 5 copyright certificates, 2 patents.

Under the leadership of Akhanov Zh.U., 12 candidate's and 4 doctoral dissertations were defended.

For a series of monographic works "Scientific foundations of reclamation assessment of soils to substantiate the development of irrigation in Kazakhstan", published in 1971-1981, J.U.Akhanov, as part of a team of authors, was awarded the State Prize of the Kazakh SSR in the field of science and technology in 1984.

Zhakhan Ualesherovich gave numerous interviews to journalists, both in the periodical press and on Kazakh radio and television, as well as to Japanese documentary filmmakers who shot a multi-part film in Kazakhstan about the soils of the world, about the state and problems of the soils of Kazakhstan. He was a member of a number of government commissions on soil and ecology problems of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a member of international delegations from Kazakhstan to many countries of the world.