“Agricultural Transformation with Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems” Program Held
The event titled “Agricultural Transformation with Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems” was held at the Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Congress and Culture Center of Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University. The event was attended with great interest by over 300 high school students and teachers, as well as Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University staff, academics, and students.
Following a moment of silence and the National Anthem, the Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies at Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Ahmet Şekeroğlu, gave a speech highlighting the educational and practical opportunities, drawing attention to social problems in the agricultural sector, and stating that the faculty aims to produce scientific solutions to these problems. Niğde Governor Nedim Akmeşe spoke about the agricultural potential of Niğde province and its importance in regional development. The event then continued with a panel discussion led by the Rector of Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Prof. Dr. Hasan Uslu; Abdulkadir Karagöz, President of the TÜME Foundation, and Deniz Kaya, a TEKNOFEST agricultural entrepreneur, participated as speakers.
Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Uslu, in his speech, emphasized the academic infrastructure of Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University in the field of agriculture, the resources of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, and the contributions of research and application centers to regional agriculture. He highlighted Niğde's agricultural potential and stated that the goal is to strengthen local production through university-industry collaboration. The discussion touched upon numerous activities carried out within the scope of university collaborations, including agricultural problems faced by farmers and proposed solutions, agricultural and livestock production, and the marketing of these products. The event focused particularly on the development of agricultural production in Niğde province, regional development, technological transformation in agriculture, and collaboration with the TÜME Foundation.
The panel, primarily presented by Abdulkadir Karagöz, President of the TÜME Foundation, addressed the issue of guiding 640 young people in Niğde province towards technology production and the dissemination of agricultural innovation. Karagöz stated that hundreds of young people in Niğde will be supported in developing autonomous systems, and that projects will be encouraged within the scope of TEKNOFEST. He also mentioned that autonomous farming systems and applied farm models are planned to be developed and implemented in collaboration with 10 universities, including Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University. In his speech, Karagöz emphasized that individuals who want to develop technology to solve agricultural problems are brought together and that these efforts can be carried out within the TÜME Foundation. He stated that this approach will contribute to Niğde becoming a regional center in the fields of agriculture and technology. The event also provided information about the TEKNOFEST process and the work carried out within this scope; artificial intelligence-supported agricultural applications and autonomous farm models were discussed.
One of the speakers, Deniz Kaya, provided information about his work in sheep farming and his entrepreneurial journey. Kaya stated that he started his livestock activities in Yalova and focused on curly-haired lamb breeding, aiming to increase efficiency in production by using technology alongside traditional methods. Furthermore, the applicability of autonomous systems in livestock farming was highlighted.
In the question-and-answer session that followed, topics such as improving agricultural production, price fluctuations, the balance between producers and consumers, and raising awareness about artificial intelligence applications in society were discussed.
The event concluded with great interest from the participants, once again emphasizing the importance of technological transformation in agriculture, specifically in the Niğde province. Certificates of appreciation were presented to the participants at the end of the event, which concluded with a group photo.