In 2025, Middle East Technical University (METU) provided access to university-based agricultural research, technical expertise, pilot facilities, and specialised food and agricultural product testing infrastructure for farmers, food producers, and other external agricultural stakeholders. This access is demonstrated through two complementary mechanisms: METU-GÜNAM's agrivoltaic (TarımGES) research and farmer-engagement activities, and the analytical and testing infrastructure provided by METU Central Laboratory (MERLAB) and the Department of Food Engineering.

1. Agricultural Research, Pilot Facilities and Direct Farmer Engagement

A key example is the Ayaş TarımGES project, led by the METU Center for Solar Energy Research and Applications (METU-GÜNAM). Located in Ayaş, Ankara, the project integrates agricultural production with solar energy generation through elevated photovoltaic systems installed over agricultural land. The project provides an applied research environment in which agricultural production and renewable-energy technologies are studied together under real agricultural conditions.

Agricultural production has been carried out at the pilot site, including the cultivation of food crops such as cucumber, tomato, carrot, red cabbage, pepper and spinach. METU-affiliated research has examined the effects of photovoltaic systems on agricultural conditions and crop production, including parameters such as soil moisture, temperature, microclimate conditions and crop yield. This research contributes to the development of evidence-based approaches for combining agricultural production with renewable-energy generation and the sustainable use of agricultural land.

The connection between METU's research and agricultural producers is further demonstrated through the Pioneer Farmers Workshop (Öncü Çiftçiler Çalıştayı), held on 15 October 2025 in Mustafakemalpaşa, Bursa, within the Türkiye–Greece Solar Energy Excellence Hub (SolarHub) project led by METU-GÜNAM. The workshop brought together farmers, public institutions, academics, researchers and private-sector representatives. Participants visited an agrivoltaic pilot facility and exchanged practical knowledge concerning agricultural production, energy efficiency, crop selection, irrigation and fertilisation. Discussions also covered the impact of agrivoltaic systems on agricultural productivity, the integration of agriculture and renewable energy, and future opportunities for collaboration with farmers.

These activities demonstrate that METU's agricultural research is connected to real production environments and farmer engagement rather than being limited to academic or laboratory settings. Through pilot facilities, field-based research and direct interaction with farmers, METU-GÜNAM provides agricultural stakeholders with opportunities to observe, discuss and assess practical applications of sustainable agriculture and agrivoltaic technologies.

2. Access to Food and Agricultural Product Testing Infrastructure

METU also provides specialised analytical and testing infrastructure relevant to food producers and agricultural stakeholders through the METU Central Laboratory – R&D Training and Measurement Center (MERLAB).

MERLAB is a university-based research, education, measurement and spectroscopy center serving universities, public institutions and industrial R&D users. Its infrastructure includes specialised laboratories for chemical analysis, chromatography and fermentation, stable isotope analysis, mass spectrometry, thermal analysis, rheological characterisation, particle-size and surface analysis, and other analytical applications.

These facilities have direct relevance to agricultural and food products. MERLAB's analytical capabilities include food, feed and seed analyses, and its accredited methods include the determination of glucose, fructose, sorbitol and sucrose in fruit and vegetable juices using HPLC-RID under TS EN 12630. Its chromatography and mass spectrometry capabilities also support the analysis and characterisation of compounds relevant to food and agricultural products, including sugars, organic acids, phenolic compounds, pesticides and other chemical constituents.

METU's Department of Food Engineering further complements this infrastructure through dedicated research facilities in food safety, food microbiology, food chemistry, food processing and food biotechnology. Its infrastructure includes laboratories for food safety and molecular biology, food processing, food imaging, rheology and texture analysis, fruit and vegetable processing, non-thermal processing, extrusion, supercritical fluid extraction and industrial biotechnology. The Department conducts both basic and applied research in food safety, food security and food processing and collaborates with food companies in Türkiye.

Together, MERLAB and the Department of Food Engineering provide a university-based technical infrastructure through which food and agricultural products can be scientifically analysed and characterised. The available expertise and analytical capacity can support activities such as food quality assessment, food safety evaluation, compositional analysis, pesticide and chemical analysis, product characterisation and process development.

3. Evidence of University Access

Taken together, these activities demonstrate multiple pathways through which METU makes its expertise and infrastructure accessible to agricultural stakeholders:

• Access to agricultural research and expertise: METU-GÜNAM conducts applied research on agricultural production, agrivoltaics, renewable energy and sustainable land use.
• Access to pilot facilities: Farmers and other agricultural stakeholders can engage with field-based agrivoltaic pilot facilities and observe their practical applications.
• Direct farmer engagement: Farmers participated in the 2025 Pioneer Farmers Workshop and visited an agrivoltaic pilot facility, where they exchanged practical knowledge with researchers and other stakeholders.
• Access to food and agricultural testing infrastructure: MERLAB provides specialised analytical and measurement capabilities relevant to food, feed and agricultural products.
• Access to food science expertise: METU's Department of Food Engineering provides specialised research infrastructure and expertise in food safety, food processing, food chemistry and food biotechnology.
• Practical relevance to producers: The combined infrastructure supports agricultural and food-production stakeholders in areas including crop production, food quality, food safety, compositional analysis, chemical and pesticide analysis, product characterisation and sustainable production practices.

These examples demonstrate that METU's contribution extends beyond the production of academic research. The University connects its research expertise, field-based pilot facilities, analytical laboratories and food-science infrastructure with agricultural production and food-related activities, creating practical points of access for farmers, food producers and other external stakeholders.

https://ekosam.metu.edu.tr/en/announcements/ponds-nature-based-solutions-workshop-pond-creation-restoration-and-maintenance

https://arastirma.tarimorman.gov.tr/toprakgubre/Haber/395/Oncu-Ciftciler-Calistayi-Gerceklestirildi