SDG 2 - Zero Hunger - 1. Campus Food - Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
SDG 2 - Zero hunger
SDG 2 - Zero Hunger - 1. CAMPUS FOOD WASTE
Last modified: 20. November 2025
1. CAMPUS FOOD WASTE
At MATE, we remain fully committed to managing food and biological waste in the most environmentally responsible way, and to exploring new solutions for the sustainable utilization of agricultural byproducts. In recent years, we have launched several research and practical projects to strengthen this commitment. These include the collection and recycling of used cooking oil in our canteens, as well as selective waste management across all our campuses.
Our university continues to take an active role in supporting sustainable development at national level. In cooperation with ministries and public authorities, MATE contributes to the formulation and implementation of strategies that advance agriculture and food production. In this framework, the university has played a key role in shaping the and the Digital Food Strategy, and the Digital Food Strategy, and remains involved in ongoing implementation efforts together with partner institutions and organisations, like Cibus Hungaricus. In this way, it has effectively contributed to more sustainable food production and waste reduction at societal level.
In the following section, we present the projects through which we address food and biological waste management.
1.1. Waste management systems and research centers
Biological waste management project and system at MATE
The European Parliament’s adoption of the Circular Economy Action Plan set out clear expectations for Member States to ensure that products, waste and water remain within the economic cycle for as long as possible. One of its key requirements is the mandatory separate collection or on-site treatment of biowaste from 31 December 2023, strengthening the shift toward more resource-efficient and sustainable practices across Europe. In line with these objectives, the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences (MATE) has taken a proactive role in driving national progress toward circularity.
Through the KEHOP-3.2.1-15-2021-00037 project, MATE launched a comprehensive initiative to identify, test and implement the measures needed for a circular transition at the Gödöllő Szent István Campus, with special emphasis on the reduction and reuse of agricultural and green waste. At the centre of this effort stands the newly established Circular Economy Analysis and Knowledge Centre, a multidisciplinary platform that brings together expertise from across the university’s campuses. The Centre supports research and innovation aimed at strengthening Hungary’s circular, biomass-based agricultural model, including strategies for food-waste reduction and the development of modern biowaste treatment solutions.
Priority is given to advanced and emerging technologies that enable more efficient and environmentally sound biowaste management. These include aerobic and anaerobic processes, renewable-energy-producing digestion systems, biohydrogen generation, hydrothermal carbonization, and other innovative, plasma-based treatment methods. By integrating these technologies into campus-scale demonstration activities, the project generates valuable knowledge for future policy development and offers practical models that can be adapted by other institutions and municipalities.
In addition, the project places strong emphasis on education and community involvement. Student training programmes and local composting initiatives ensure that biodegradable waste—from campus kitchens to farm residues—is collected and processed through pilot composters, producing high-quality compost that can be reused to improve soil health on the campus. These activities not only close the loop of biological materials but also help establish a robust quality-assurance framework for composted end-products.
Altogether, the project contributes to strengthening Hungary’s legislative, infrastructural and knowledge base for a circular economy. By linking research excellence with hands-on demonstration and community engagement, MATE plays a key role in supporting the long-term transition toward a more sustainable, resource-efficient agricultural sector.
At the Gödöllő campus, all biodegradable waste generated is processed on-site using a state-of-the-art infrastructure developed with European Union funding. This makes MATE the only university worldwide with a fully operational on-campus composting facility, successfully implementing a closed-loop biological circular economy. While other universities may have selective waste collection, zero-waste programs, or community composting, no other institution has achieved comprehensive biological waste utilization at this scale. The technology installed at the Szárítópuszta site also provides unique opportunities for education and research, offers valuable insights for policymakers to comply with circular economy regulations, and supports Hungarian agri-innovation and the development of biomass-based circular agriculture.
Centre for Circular Economy Analysis and Knowledge
The Circular Economy Analysis Centre plays an important strategic role in tracking national and international research trends related to circularity, assessing the macroeconomic and societal implications of transitioning to a circular economic model, and identifying innovative, sustainable and climate-neutral solutions across multiple specialised fields. Its activities rely on the broad research, expert and teaching capacities of the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences, which provide a solid foundation for producing high-quality analyses and evidence-based recommendations. The Centre undertakes the scientific processing of topics related to agriculture, food systems, the green economy, green construction, sustainability and circularity, and supports the preparation of professional presentations, panel discussions and background materials within short timeframes. In addition to its analytical work, the Centre’s experts are actively involved in professional forums and events dedicated to green innovation and sustainable development, contributing to dialogue between academia, industry and policymakers.
