Almaty, Kazakhstan – 24 April 2025 - The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), together with the Kazakhstan Coordination Office of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), conducted an working visit to the Kazakh Research Institute of Agriculture and Crop Production (KazNIIZiR) in Almaty as part of joint efforts to explore the implementation of a Speed Breeding Project in Kazakhstan.
The delegation, comprising Mr. Fuat Erdoğmuş, Coordinator of TIKA Kazakhstan, Mr. Emre Yüksek, Humanitarian Affairs Officer of IOFS, and Mrs. Makpal Bulatova, Project Manager of IOFS, visited KazNIIZiR to assess the existing infrastructure and scientific capacity, with a view to supporting the establishment of advanced speed breeding facilities.
The visit aimed to familiarize TIKA with the proposed project site and to evaluate the readiness of the institute for future collaboration in developing climate-resilient wheat varieties, crucial for the agricultural sustainability of the region. The delegation was welcomed by Dr. Sholpan Bastauubayeva, Chairperson of KazNIIZiR, who provided an overview of the institute’s research priorities and ongoing activities in crop improvement, as well as by Dr. Kanat Yermekbayev, Head of Molecular Biology Laboratory at Zhetysu University, who is bringing the expertise and practices of the speed breeding platform.
The discussion held during the visit among stakeholders to share the insights on the potential for speed breeding technologies to enhance the development of heat- and drought-tolerant wheat varieties in Kazakhstan and the next steps required for project formulation, including technical assessments and coordinated planning among IOFS, TIKA, and local research institutions.
TIKA conveyed a positive intention to support the proposed Speed Breeding initiative, recognizing its potential to contribute significantly to regional food security and agricultural innovation.
