In Kazakhstan, Director-General visits Rodina demonstration farm village and Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University

Astana - FAO Director-General QU Dongyu visited a demonstration farm village and a key university focused on agrifoods sector technical research as part of an official visit to Kazakhstan during which he participated in the annual Astana International Forum.

At the Rodina village, the Director-General met with Ivan Sauer, founder and director of the facility. The field visit included witnessing the sowing of spring crops and a tour of the farm, including an exhibition of crop varieties.

The Director-General also saw a demonstration of agricultural equipment as well as visiting the dairy and milking center to witness the production process. The facility uses advanced European technologies and classical music is played while the cows are being milked to calm their mood. It produces 50 tons of milk per day, along with several types of dairy products.

During the visit, the FAO Director-General emphasized Kazakhstan’s vast agricultural potential, noting its status as the world’s ninth-largest country and a key player in developing the agro-industrial sector. He praised the country’s efforts in embracing modern agricultural technologies and innovation-driven production.

The Director-General and his delegation additionally visited the Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University (KATRU), also known as Seifullin University, with which FAO collaborates within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in March 2025.

There he met with students and young scientists at the FAO Knowledge Center, a knowledge hub that serves as an important platform for students, teachers and researchers by providing access to global best practices, FAO publications and quick access to the FAO E-learning Academy. Special attention was paid to FAO RuralInvest trainings, which help students and specialists to develop skills of project planning in agriculture. The Director-General took part in an interactive Agrotalks session with the students on the theme of “How I Got into Agriculture - and Why It's Cool.”

The Director-General described students and youth at the university as representing the best investment Kazakhstan can make for the future of the country’s agriculture. Their knowledge, energy, and innovation hold immense potential to drive the transformation of food systems toward greater sustainability, resilience, and equity, he said.

The FAO delegation also saw presentations of startup projects by young scientists and an exhibition of the university's scientific achievements. As part of his visit, the Director-General was awarded the Saken Seyfullin honorable Medal named after the renowned Kazakh writer.