For the first time in Turkey, the Livestock Technologies R&D and Innovation Festival (HAYTEKFEST), which will guide the livestock sector, hosted by Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ), has started.
With HAYTEKFEST, it is aimed to bring out local and national technology-based projects in the livestock sector, which is becoming increasingly strategic within the scope of Turkey's National Technology Initiative, and to implement these projects quickly and effectively.
Within the scope of HAYTEKFEST, 101 projects from all over Turkey participated. Among the 101 projects, 37 projects made it to the finals through a three-stage evaluation. These finalist projects will be presented for three days and evaluated by expert jury members in their field, and the top three projects will be awarded. The festival, which will award 100 thousand TL to the first place, 75 thousand TL to the second place, and 50 thousand TL to the third place, saw a high level of participation.
The opening program of HAYTEKFEST, held at Lavanta Tepesi Hotel, was attended by Deputy Governor Ahmet Mailoğlu, Rector Prof. Dr. Adem Korkmaz, Hacettepe University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Cahit Güran, SDÜ Rector Prof. Dr. İlker Çarıkçı, Kırklareli University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Nurettin Aka, Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Assoc. Dr. Sait Muharrem Say, BAKA Secretary General Volkan Güler, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Durmuş Acar, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Karaca, Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar, Rector Advisor Prof. Dr. Ömer Tekşen, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations, representatives of Political Parties, Public Institution Managers, Sector Representatives, academicians, and students.
TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal: “Livestock Technologies Are Very Important for Our Future”
The program, which started with a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem, was joined live by TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal. In his opening speech, Mandal emphasized the following: “The gathering of academicians, our young human resources, livestock technologies sector representatives, public and NGOs within the scope of HAYTEKFEST with a focus on sustainable livestock is very valuable. Regional development-focused projects are being carried out in the field of livestock by Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, increasing scientific and technological approaches for sustainable livestock. Among the 37 projects that will compete in the finals within the scope of HAYTEKFEST, there are project examples covering animal health technologies, poultry technologies, nanotechnology, and sensor technologies. Collaboration based on co-development in the focus of livestock technologies is of key importance for our common future. A great effort is involved in this work carried out today. I thank everyone who supported, contributed, and participated.”
The program then continued with the viewing of the MAKÜ 2023 Promotional Film prepared by the Corporate Communication Center (KİMER).
Chairman of the Organizing Committee Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar: “We Focused on Nationalizing Livestock Technologies”
In the program, which continued with opening speeches, HAYTEKFEST Organizing Committee Chairman Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar also gave a speech. Starting his speech by expressing condolences regarding the earthquakes referred to as the disaster of the century, Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Dalgar provided information about the HAYTEKFEST process. Dalgar said, “While working in the field of livestock technologies, we saw that the sector we call livestock technology in Turkey is dependent on foreign sources. Then we said, let's focus on nationalizing livestock technologies, and as a result, the idea of HAYTEKFEST emerged. We started our work by taking the strength of the Faculty of Engineering of our Hacettepe University and Kırklareli University with us. Can we make Burdur the center of livestock technologies? Can we make our Technopark a thematic Technopark? With such thoughts and the support of our Development Agency, we embarked on this journey, and at the point we have reached, 101 projects at the startup level, new entrepreneur level, researcher level, student level, and firm level from all over Turkey came to us. These 101 projects will find their owners through a three-stage evaluation. A three-stage scoring was done for the awards, and the evaluation process was objective. With the support of our sponsors, we will provide 100 thousand TL to the first project, 75 thousand TL to the second, and 50 thousand TL to the third. Within the scope of HAYTEKFEST, we have seminars with the participation of leading representatives of the sector. I thank everyone who contributed.”
BAKA Secretary General Volkan Güler: “Our Region Will Soon Be One of the Most Mentioned Regions in Terms of Entrepreneurship”
Western Mediterranean Development Agency Secretary General Volkan Güler said, “As the Western Mediterranean Development Agency, we have identified the development of the eco-tourism sector, the medicinal and aromatic plants sector, and entrepreneurship as our main focus. In a short period, our region will be one of the most mentioned regions in terms of entrepreneurship. To finance the project, we announced a program last year to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem. I would like to express my gratitude once again to our esteemed rector, who led the realization of such a project, and to all the members of the organizing committee. Hopefully, we have implemented a project that will bring good results together.”
Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Çukurova University Faculty Member Assoc. Dr. Sait Muharrem Say, in his speech, emphasized the following: “First of all, I am very happy to be here and to have the chance to address you in this journey that started with a proposal for refereeing. Following the light of science, with the impact and energy of such organizations, there is no reason not to look very positively to the future with our well-educated young population, which Europe looks at with envy. I thank everyone who made an effort here, and I express my gratitude once again for giving me the chance to be here.
Kırklareli University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Nurettin Akar also said, “Within the scope of the Regional Development Focused Mission Differentiation program, the Joint Application and Research Center for Digital Technologies in the Livestock Sector was established in partnership with Kırklareli University and Hacettepe University under the coordination of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, which specializes in the field of livestock, and was approved by the Higher Education Council. With the established joint center, it is aimed to develop livestock in the country, especially in Burdur province, by combining the projects to be carried out in the field of livestock with the developing technologies of our age.”
Hacettepe University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Cahit Güran also said in his speech: “We are very happy to be a partner of the Joint Application and Research Center for Digital Technologies in the Livestock Sector together with Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University. I find it very meaningful to hold such a beautiful organization and thank everyone who contributed.”
Rector Prof. Dr. Adem Korkmaz “MAKÜ's Work in the Field of Livestock Has Been Included in the Investment Program of Our Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry”
In his speech, Rector Prof. Dr. Adem Korkmaz said, “This great disaster we have experienced as a nation is a great shock. We have not yet overcome the shock as a society because the trauma is very great, so we are still in this process. When we saw the magnitude of the disaster, we consulted with our friends and were concerned that it might be confused with classical summer festivals because of its name as a festival, but since it is HAYTEKFEST, the Livestock Technologies R&D and Innovation Festival carried out by the university, we decided to continue the process, realizing that we have no time to wait in scientific fields such as technology and R&D.
As Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, we have also made efforts to build innovative studies and models in many fields from time to time with the opportunities and potentials given to us by being a new and young university. New university models are being discussed in the world, such as entrepreneurial university models
