Astrakhan State Technical University joins FAO network

The delegation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Liaison Office with the Russian Federation and the Moscow representative office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) visited the leading fisheries university of Russia - Astrakhan State Technical University (ASTU) during a business trip to the Astrakhan region.

During the working meeting with the leadership of ASTU and its leading departments, promising areas of cooperation were discussed, in particular, partnership in the field of science and training of young personnel, interaction with Central Asian countries within the framework of FAO projects for the development of aquaculture, as well as the organization of joint events within the framework of the International Year of Camels – 2024 announced by the United Nations at the initiative of FAO and the Fisheries the forum in St. Petersburg in the autumn of this year.

"Our region has always been traditionally considered a region where agriculture, fish farming and fishing are highly developed. These are all the areas that ensure the food security of our country," said Professor Yuri Maksimenko, Vice–rector of ASTU for Research and Innovation. – Our university is a leading industry university, which also contributes to ensuring food security.

Taking into account the geographical location of our region and long-term cooperation with Caspian universities, we will be able to outline partnership options in the vastness of Central Asia. We have not only good scientific, educational and innovative potential for this, but also experience in implementing large international projects.

I really hope that the areas of work presented today, Professor Maksimenko emphasized in conclusion, will find their response in our joint projects with FAO and UNEP."

"FAO is the leading intergovernmental organization of the United Nations system on agri–food systems," said Oleg Kobiakov, Director of the FAO Moscow Office. – In addition to the "classic agro-industry", FAO is engaged in forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, rural development, nutrition and food security.

Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN, FAO is the "caretaker" of SDG-2 – the elimination of hunger. We are working closely with UNEP on all three environmental goals - climate change (SDG-13), aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems (SDG-14 and SDG-15)."

"Astrakhan region, Oleg Kobiakov stressed, is a region with highly developed agriculture and fisheries, which represents many key ecosystems of the world. On the one hand, the region has an abundance of water resources, on the other, it is closely faced with the problem of soil degradation and desertification. That is why it is seen as a logical and promising partner of FAO."

"The purpose of the UN Environment Programme is to coordinate the activities of UN member states and civil society in the development and implementation of environmental policy," explained Vladimir Moshkalo, Head of the UNEP representative office in Russia. – Today, humanity and, in particular, UNEP are facing global challenges in terms of scale and threats.

The first problem is the fight against climate change and its consequences. The second is the conservation of biological diversity, which is impossible without the conservation of all ecosystems. The third area of activity of UNEP is combating environmental pollution. At this stage, we are focused on combating the harmful littering of the planet with plastic.

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted at the end of 2022. It sets a task of exceptional importance: to ensure the protection of at least 30% of the land and ocean territories by 2030, as well as to restore at least 30% of the lost ecosystems."

"The University was founded in the 30s of the last century, it has a rich history," said Professor Irina Kvyatkovskaya, Acting Rector of ASTU. – Training is based on several fundamental pillars. Aquatic bioresources, aquaculture, processing of fish products. New competencies are also being added.

"We have several branches – in the Azov-Black Sea basin, in the Krasnodar Territory, in the Dmitrovsky district of the Moscow region," Professor Kvyatkovskaya shared. – When the governments of Russia and Uzbekistan decided to develop our core area of Russian education in the Republic of Uzbekistan, our university was invited. Now we have a branch in the Tashkent region, where they study the problems of aquatic bioresources, aquaculture, processing of fish products, and environmental management.

The core of our university is the Institute of Fisheries, Biology, and Environmental Management. We are trying to subordinate all other areas to the interests of these particular fisheries specialties. For example, information security analyzes social networks to find information about illegal fishing and the use of prohibited fishing gear. We are developing the sector of geographic information systems. We have created a website – the Fish Academy, where we collect, among other things, the best technologies for processing fish products.

In 2023, ASTU took the first place in the rating of "green" universities in Russia in the nomination "Environmental education". This is important for us, because we also have a school for a young ecologist, and there is a similar school in our Dmitrov branch. The activities of our university, Professor Kvyatkovskaya emphasized in conclusion, are aimed at ensuring the development of all fisheries management areas, and we succeed in this."

The seminar was attended by leading scientific and pedagogical staff of the university. Associate Professor Adela Zhandalgarova presented a report on "Innovative methods and technologies for sustainable aquaculture development". Professor Svetlana Zolotokopova spoke about what "Promising resource-saving technologies for processing agricultural raw materials exist. Experience and suggestions". Professor Olga Soprunova shared her analysis on the topic "Food and environmental security in the context of climatic and geopolitical changes: innovative solutions and proposals".

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Summing up the discussion, Oleg Kobiakov, Director of the FAO Moscow Office, stressed the existence of mutual interest and many points of contact between the Organization and the ASTU, the oldest and most reputable fishing university in the country: "I am convinced that we have good prospects for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation. I believe that ASTU will take its rightful place in the rapidly growing university network of FAO partner universities in the Russian Federation."