Programs in Agriculture Technology Transfer

Exploring State-of-the-Art Technologies: European HEIs Visit by Regional Consortium Members

Middle East Technical University, Turkey

04th May - 07th May

The prgram commenced with a welcoming note from Dr Mehmet karaka of Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara. Following this, Prof. Necati Cetin from Ankara University's Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Machinery and Technology Engineering, along with Assoc. Prof. Onur Pekcan from METU's Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, presented on the Applications of Unmanned Systems in Smart Agriculture.

Prof. Ufuk Turker from Ankara University's Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Machinery and Technology Engineering and Assoc. Salih Ozcubukcu from METU's Faculty of Arts and Science, Department of Chemistry, emphasized the significance of Sustainable Agriculture and the Green Deal. The session on the Digitalization of the Agricultuaral Machinery and Technology Engineering.

Dr mehmet also guided participants through various research labs and centers on the METU campus. On the final day, attendees visted the assembly unit of Erkunt Tractors inAnkara, followed by a visit to the T.C Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Central Research Institute for Soil Fertilizer and Water Resources.

Institute of Fluid Flow Machinery at the Polish Academy of Science, Poland

8th May - 10th May 2024

        The AGRHI gdansk meeting, held from May 8th - 10th, 2024 at IMP PAN, focused on equipping Asian farmers with sustainable agriculture practices. The event began with a welcome and an overview of IPM PAN's research by the institute's directo, setting the stage for in-depth discussions and practical sessions. Key lectures included Prof. Kardas' presentation on energy usage histories and the applicability of poland's startegies to Asian countries. This session emphasized political, historical, and resource-driven factors influencing energy profiles, advocating for sustainables growth models. It highlighted decentralized energy production methods, drawing from success stories in Denmark and advancements in pyrolysis and gasification for renewable energy from dry biomass.

        After lunch, participants toured labs showcasing cutting-edge research. Evening sessions focused on the circular economy, featuring Prof. Cenian's insights into sustainable system design and value creation from industrial biomass waste, including innovative uses of insects and larvae for waste management. Dr Mizera's lecture on storage and transporation of agricultural produce highlighted principles in facility design and preservation techniques crucial for extending shelf life and minimise losses.         The second day centered on development, with participants discussing fingings from a needs analysis report presented by Prof. Bawatharani. Strategies included introducinng new elective courses, enhancing existing ones, and developing MOOCs tailored to address regional agricultural challenges. Soft skills training, mechanization, and information dissemination strategies were also deliberated, drawing inspiration from successful agricultural engineering programs at Krakow university. Technical sessions after lunch delved into valve addition through biogas and bio-ethanol production, and desiging experiments to optimize digestate effectiveness as fertilizer.

        The final day was dedicated to field visits, starting with a large-scale biogas faciltiy near Gdansk, showcasing its role in waste montization and sustainable energy production. A visit to a mechanized dairy farm illustrated comprehensive environment management practices, including feed production from farm waste maand advanced data-driven monitoring systems. These visits underscored practical applications and potential adoption in Asian agricultural contexts. Throughout, the meeting emphasized knowledge exchange and collaboration within the conrsotium, culminating in plans for future joint initiatives such as student exchanges and collaborative research projects. This holistic approach ensured participants gained practical insights and fostered sustainable agricultural practices tailored to Asian needs.

University of West Attica, Greece

13th May - 15th May

        This workshop, designed for AGRHI project mmebers and those interested in agricultural technology using Artificial Intelligence (AI), featured lectures by speacialized professors in AI and education. Participants visited the core facilitites of West Attica University and attended an outdoor demonstration of high-end technology. The broder objective was to transfer knowledge and skills to help participants become familiar with AI and understand its role in agriltural education.

        On the first day, Christos Vasilikiotis, a researcher and consultant at the American Farm School, presented the current state of Greece's agricultual technologies and education. The second day included a brainstorming session on AGRHI curriculum development, followed by a discussion about upcoming work packages for the project. Dr Christos Liosis emphized the importance of AI in agriculture. Later in a day we had a lab visits. We visited the electricity generation using solar panel and grid system for simulating the electricity load for the research purpose.

        On the third day, participants visited a small village about 159 km outside Athens, with a population of 60-70 people who manage large agricultural lands using two drones. The larger drone, costing about 30,000 euros, can spray one acre in approximately eight minutes at half speed, controlled via a phone and remote control. Various parameters, such as speed, height, spray radius, and the percentage of the field already sprayed, were simultaneously visualize.