From 25 to 30 September 2025, the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (CSAM) of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) undertook a mission to Central Asia, visiting key stakeholders and partners in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The objective of the visits was to strengthen partnership relations, explore opportunities for new initiatives, and mobilize synergies for further collaboration in the subregion. A representative from China Agricultural University joined the mission and relevant discussions.

The CSAM delegation discussed with relevant partners and institutions, including the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (KazNARU), the Scientific Production Center for Agricultural Engineering (SPCAE), and the Turkestan Agro-Industrial Group Company, Kazakhstan; as well as the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers–National Research University (TIIAME-NRU) and the Scientific-Research Institute of Agricultural Mechanization (SRIAM) in Uzbekistan.

CSAM expressed its deep appreciation to respective stakeholders and partners for their valuable collaboration and support to the joint programmes and initiatives in recent years, which have contributed to advancing sustainable agricultural mechanization across the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in Central Asia. The delegation emphasized that strengthened partnerships are critical for pooling collective efforts at national, subregional, regional, and global levels, to unlock the potential for enhancing agricultural productivity, improving food security, reducing poverty, and fostering sustainable growth, thereby driving the progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the region. The meetings underscored the importance of developing and adopting innovative approaches in agricultural mechanization, with a particular focus on integrating emerging technologies such as digital solutions, AI-enabled tools, and data-driven devices with agricultural machinery and equipment. Potential initiatives were also discussed between CSAM and relevant institutions in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, laying the foundation for future cooperation.

Partners reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the collaboration with CSAM and leveraging their expertise and support to promote sustainable agricultural mechanization in Central Asia. The mission received the valuable support of ESCAP’s Sub-regional Office for North and Central Asia (SONCA).