Kozybayev University Signs Memorandum of Understanding with CIMMYT

It is the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, a leading non-profit research organization within the CGIAR consortium. The center specializes in developing high-yield varieties of wheat and maize that are resistance to climate stresses, diseases, and pests, as well as in applying advanced breeding methods, including genomic selection, biofortification, and modern agricultural technologies. CIMMYT houses one of the world’s largest seed genetic banks and has historical ties to the work of Norman Borlaug, a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Abdelfattah Dababat, CIMMYT representative in Turkey, a postdoctoral researcher and adjunct professor at the Faculty of Agriculture of University of Jordan, Amman arrived at the university to finalize the memorandum. The visit to the North Kazakhstan Region was organized at the initiative of the Akimat of North Kazakhstan Region and is aimed at launching practical cooperation between CIMMYT and our university, and also the Agro-Competence Center. “CIMMYT’s headquarters is located in Mexico, but we have hubs in 14 regions around the world. We have established close collaboration with Kazakhstan as well. There was also a local office of our organization here, but it had to be closed during the pandemic. However, we managed to conduct three major studies on plant root diseases. We hope for further cooperation, as Kazakhstan is a major wheat producer, supplying not only its domestic needs but also neighboring countries,” noted Abdelfattah Dababat. As part of the visit, a seminar was also held on wheat breeding, its resistance to diseases and droughts. Directions for joint scientific projects were outlined, including the use of genomic selection and CIMMYT collections.