Rector Aydın examines TÜME’s Autonomous Farm at TEKNOFEST as similar model takes shape at OMU

As a pilot university in the YÖK–TÜME cooperation, OMU is preparing to implement an AI-supported autonomous farming model integrating smart systems, agricultural data, and innovative technologies.

The domestic agricultural technology ecosystem introduced in Şanlıurfa as part of TEKNOFEST Southeast Anatolia, and presented as the “world’s first AI-based autonomous farm,” attracted considerable interest from academia and the scientific community.

Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma Aydın, accompanied by Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Çetin Kurnaz, visited the AI-supported Autonomous Farm Center established at the festival grounds and examined the model, a similar version of which is planned to be implemented at OMU.

OMU as a pilot university in building the future of agriculture

As one of the pilot universities included in the cooperation protocol between the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and the Agricultural Technologies Cluster (TÜME), OMU is advancing its capabilities in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and innovative agricultural technologies through its partnership with TÜME.

During the visit, Rector Aydın received detailed information about ongoing projects and the system’s integrated infrastructure from Abdulkadir Karagöz, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the TÜME Foundation, and Sinan Yavuz, Member of the Board of Trustees and Secretary General.

Aydın also met with young entrepreneurs and researchers involved in the autonomous farm ecosystem.

“We are building our own artificial intelligence”

TÜME Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Abdulkadir Karagöz said the initiative brings agricultural processes such as milking, climate control, image processing, and herd management together under a single integrated artificial intelligence system.

Karagöz stated that TÜME aims to establish 40 autonomous farms across Türkiye in order to bring young producers together with advanced technologies.

He added that the national agricultural data infrastructure and AI models, trained on hundreds of thousands of data points, are intended to contribute to security of supply and food price stability, while also creating opportunities to export domestically developed agricultural technologies to partner countries and regions.

Rector Aydın congratulates Samsun Teknopark’s gold medal-winning startup

Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma Aydın also examined domestic technology projects developed by young entrepreneurs at the TEKNOFEST grounds and visited the booth of Helimore Aviation Technologies, a company operating within Samsun Teknopark that won a Gold Medal at an Invention Fair.

Aydın congratulated Başak Demir Ünalan, whose unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system designed for seeding and fertilization in agricultural production received the award.

The technology was developed within Samsun Teknopark with support from the OMU Technology Transfer Office (TTO).

Rector Aydın expressed her satisfaction with the achievement as a concrete example of university–industry cooperation.

Emphasizing the importance of combining the dynamism of young people with the University’s academic expertise and the technological capabilities of industry, Aydın stated that OMU would continue to strengthen its role as a key partner in agricultural digital transformation and Türkiye’s National Technology Initiative.