On November 7, Dr. Csaba Gyuricza, Rector of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), met with Aybek Shakhavdinov, Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Hungary, in Gödöllő to discuss ongoing collaborations and future opportunities. Both parties expressed high expectations for the joint projects during the meeting.

MATE has established significant connections with Uzbekistan’s agricultural sector, including a prominent partnership with Tashkent State Agrarian University. Currently, several Uzbek students are pursuing their studies at MATE, and 25 researchers from partner institutions in Uzbekistan have already visited MATE’s institutes. Discussions also covered the experiences and potential expansion of the joint master’s program in food science launched in 2023.

​​​​​​The Uzbek-Hungarian Potato Research Center has been operating for several years, focusing on adapting Hungarian potato varieties and their seed potato production technologies to Uzbekistan. This initiative aims to partially replace Uzbekistan’s high reliance on imported table potatoes. A long-term goal includes the development of new joint potato varieties and the launch of collaborative research programs. Since the center's inauguration in 2021, approximately 400,000 seedlings have been produced with substantial support from Hungarian experts.

In addition to existing collaborations, discussions are underway regarding several new joint projects. These include cooperation with Fergana State University and the Drought Prevention Institute under the Organization of Turkic States in the field of crop production. Future research efforts will focus on three key areas: developing soil mapping methodologies, breeding drought-resistant crops, and advancing ecological soil improvement techniques.