NU's contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Vision: To be a leading institution in promoting sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility, contributing to the well-being of society and the environment.
Mission: To integrate sustainable practices into all aspects of campus life, ensuring that education, research, and community engagement align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Mission: To integrate sustainable practices into all aspects of campus life, ensuring that education, research, and community engagement align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Eliminate hunger, ensure food security, enhance nutrition, and foster sustainable agriculture.
Our goals in action
Nazarbayev University actively contributes to SDG 2 through scientific innovation, community partnerships, and applied research focused on nutrition, sustainable agriculture, and equitable food systems. The university’s approach emphasizes both local impact — such as engagement with farmers and health-focused entrepreneurship — and global relevance, through cutting-edge research in food technology, agricultural science, and climate resilience.
Research and Innovation
Community Impact
Other community initiatives include:
- Charity fairs and donation drives for food and essential goods redistribution;
- Workshops on food security and rural innovation as part of the university’s public engagement programming.
Documentary Screening: “Six Inches of Soil”
In 2024, the Office of Sustainable Development organized a screening of the acclaimed documentary “Six Inches of Soil”, with support from the British Embassy. The film spotlights regenerative farming practices and the vital role of soil health in sustainable agriculture. The event served as a dialogue platform, connecting students with researchers and practitioners, and inspiring local action on sustainable food production.
Key Highlights:
In 2024, the Office of Sustainable Development organized a screening of the acclaimed documentary “Six Inches of Soil”, with support from the British Embassy. The film spotlights regenerative farming practices and the vital role of soil health in sustainable agriculture. The event served as a dialogue platform, connecting students with researchers and practitioners, and inspiring local action on sustainable food production.
Key Highlights:
- Expert Panel Discussion: Specialists shared insights on regenerative agriculture, soil restoration, and how sustainable practices can help combat climate change.
- Student Dialogue: NU students discussed practical applications of these approaches for the Kyzylorda region, emphasizing the importance of community-based agricultural solutions.
Agricultural Fair: This fair aims to connect local farmers with the university community, fostering collaboration and promoting the consumption of fresh, locally-sourced produce. By supporting local agriculture, it encourages sustainable food systems and provides a platform for farmers to share knowledge and products with students and staff.
- Zero-Waste Shop: This initiative aims to establish a shop on campus that minimizes waste by offering bulk products and reusable items, helping reduce packaging waste. The shop will encourage sustainable consumption by promoting the use of reusable containers, providing eco-friendly alternatives, and educating the university community about waste reduction.
- Hydroponics System: A hydroponics system will be developed to grow fresh produce on campus. This soil-free cultivation method supports sustainability and provides students with hands-on educational opportunities in sustainable food production. The system will not only contribute to food security but also serve as a practical model of urban farming.
- Pre-Order System for Meals: A pre-order system will be introduced in campus cafeterias to optimize food preparation and reduce food waste. This system will ensure that food is prepared according to actual demand, minimizing surplus food and waste, and promoting efficient use of resources in food services.
- Food Bank: A campus food bank will be established to support students and staff facing food insecurity. The food bank will provide access to nutritious meals for those in need, ensuring that no one in the university community is left without access to food.
- Soul Food Delivery Program: This program aims to redirect surplus food from university events and dining services to local animal shelters. By diverting excess food to support animals in need, this initiative reduces food waste and helps care for animals in the community.
Current Initiatives
Saumal: A metabiotic developed using a unique Kazakhstani strain, contributing to biotechnology and health innovation. The term saumal refers to fresh mare's milk, a cherished component of Kazakh culture renowned for its unique health benefits. For centuries, it has been celebrated for its restorative properties and its role in traditional diets and wellness practices. Building on this heritage, SAUMAL® has been developed as a freeze-dried powdered product, combining the traditional essence of mare's milk with modern food technology.
What is SAUMAL®?
SAUMAL® is a high-quality, natural product made from whole mare’s milk using advanced sublimation (freeze-drying) technology. This method preserves the milk's rich nutrient profile, ensuring it retains its bioactive compounds, vitamins, and minerals. The result is a fine white powder with a pleasant milky aroma that meets stringent food quality and safety standards. SAUMAL® exemplifies innovation in food production, merging traditional knowledge with state-of-the-art technology to create a product with global market potential.
What is SAUMAL®?
SAUMAL® is a high-quality, natural product made from whole mare’s milk using advanced sublimation (freeze-drying) technology. This method preserves the milk's rich nutrient profile, ensuring it retains its bioactive compounds, vitamins, and minerals. The result is a fine white powder with a pleasant milky aroma that meets stringent food quality and safety standards. SAUMAL® exemplifies innovation in food production, merging traditional knowledge with state-of-the-art technology to create a product with global market potential.
EGIStic: EGIStic is an advanced, integrated platform designed to transform agricultural practices by leveraging cutting-edge technologies to achieve greater productivity and sustainability. The project embodies the principles of precision agriculture, which focuses on optimizing resource use and improving crop yields while minimizing environmental impact.
EGIStic utilizes innovative tools such as satellite imagery, drones, and IoT sensors to collect real-time data on soil health, crop conditions, weather patterns, and pest activity. This data enables farmers to make informed decisions, ensuring efficient use of resources like water, fertilizers, and pesticides.
The platform offers tailored recommendations for specific agricultural regions, considering local climatic, soil, and crop factors. This approach not only enhances productivity but also reduces wastage of resources.
By promoting efficient practices, EGIStic aligns with the principles of sustainable agriculture. It helps to reduce carbon emissions, limit soil degradation, and preserve water resources, contributing to long-term environmental conservation.
EGIStic utilizes innovative tools such as satellite imagery, drones, and IoT sensors to collect real-time data on soil health, crop conditions, weather patterns, and pest activity. This data enables farmers to make informed decisions, ensuring efficient use of resources like water, fertilizers, and pesticides.
The platform offers tailored recommendations for specific agricultural regions, considering local climatic, soil, and crop factors. This approach not only enhances productivity but also reduces wastage of resources.
By promoting efficient practices, EGIStic aligns with the principles of sustainable agriculture. It helps to reduce carbon emissions, limit soil degradation, and preserve water resources, contributing to long-term environmental conservation.
In 2024, NU faculty produced several high-impact publications in peer-reviewed journals, addressing food technology, sustainable agriculture, and rural vulnerability. These include:
Reducing meat consumption in Central Asia through 3D printing of plant-based protein-enhanced alternatives: This study explores the potential of using 3D food printing (3DFP) technology to reduce meat consumption in Central Asia by utilizing locally available plant-based proteins such as buckwheat, soy, peas, and lentils. Special attention is given to buckwheat as a promising ingredient for 3DFP due to its nutritional value, gluten-free composition, and popularity in the region.
Governance of Agroholdings in Transition Economies: Offers insights into agricultural efficiency and rural development.
Climate-Water-Mobility Nexus in Central Asia: Proposes integrative strategies to manage food security risks under climate stress.
AI for Crop Protection: The study presents an automated approach for insect pest segmentation and counting using deep learning models designed for embedded systems. An image dataset of the target pest (Halyomorpha halys) was created using an IoT-enabled image capture system deployed in an orchard. The developed Y-Net model demonstrated high segmentation accuracy (IoU — 84.5%, DSC — 91.5%) and counting precision (MSE — 1.9), with fast inference time (0.4 seconds) even on a smartphone.
Discriminating stratigraphic layers of cultivated organic soils using proximal sensors: The study showed that proximal sensors (measuring moisture, electrical conductivity, bulk density, and penetration resistance) can effectively distinguish between peaty, limnic, and mineral soil layers. This simplifies the stratigraphic mapping of organic soils without the need for manual probing and laboratory analysis.
Planned Initiatives
Through this holistic approach, Nazarbayev University is helping to build food systems that are climate-adaptive, locally grounded, and globally informed — moving the region closer to a hunger-free and nutritionally resilient future.