Karshi State University contributes to SDG 2 – Zero Hunger through sustainable agriculture, food-security research, conservation of genetic resources for food and agriculture, sustainable food production, biotechnology, and agricultural education. The University maintains a main campus greenhouse where tomatoes and cucumbers are cultivated under controlled environmental conditions, with ICT-based systems used to monitor temperature, humidity and irrigation and support sustainable horticultural practices. KSU also operates a mushroom greenhouse that conserves and cultivates more than 10 varieties of edible mushrooms and an equivalent number of medicinal mushrooms; smart monitoring systems regulate light, humidity and temperature, supporting scientific research, food sustainability and sustainable agriculture. In addition, the University has an innovative potato field conservation project that uses ICT-enabled soil and crop monitoring to improve the sustainability and genetic diversity of potato cultivation.
KSU also supports food security through dedicated agricultural research. The project "Development of a cultivation technology for edible and medicinal mushrooms distributed in the Kashkadarya region under artificial nutrient conditions" was implemented in 2024–2025 with funding of 981,920,000 UZS, with its stated focus on sustainable agriculture, food security and biodiversity preservation. The report explicitly identifies this research as contributing to SDG 2. The University also organized an international event on "The relevance of using innovative technologies in the cultivation of organic agricultural products in different soil and climate conditions," which involved 150 participants, including 10 foreign scholars, providing a platform for knowledge exchange on innovative and sustainable agricultural production.
The University's contribution to sustainable agriculture is further supported through its academic programs and research capacity. The Geography and Agronomy area includes programs such as Plant Protection and Quarantine, Agrochemistry and Soil Science, Soil Science, and Ecology and Environmental Protection, while 51 lecturers and researchers are associated with the Geography and Agronomy faculty. KSU also offers sustainability-related courses including Biochemistry of Agricultural Products, Agrochemical Services in Agriculture, and Organization and Management of Greenhouse Economy, providing students with knowledge relevant to agricultural production, soil management, food-related science and sustainable land use.
Food-resource efficiency is another relevant component of KSU's SDG 2 contribution. In 2025, 209.3 tonnes of food waste were generated mainly from campus cafeterias and dormitories, representing a reduction of 108.1 tonnes compared with the previous year. The University operates a segregated organic-waste collection and treatment system, and 18.7 tonnes of food waste were processed and reused as animal feed through a granulation process. In addition, 18 tonnes of leaf waste were converted into nutrient-rich biomass fertilizer using California red worms and used to improve soil quality in university green areas. These practices demonstrate the University's efforts to reduce food-resource losses and promote circular approaches to agricultural and organic resources.
KSU's Environmental Sustainability Policy includes sustainable procurement and consumption measures and explicitly commits the University to promoting sustainable food and catering services on campus. The policy also supports sustainable water management, including drip irrigation and wastewater recycling where feasible, which is relevant to the sustainable management of agricultural and food-production resources.
University scientists from the Agrochemistry and Ecology Department developed and tested locally adapted sweet potato varieties, including Sochakinur, Toyloqi, Filial and New Samarkand. Field trials in Karshi District reported yields of 50–60 tonnes/ha for the primary crop and 42–45 tonnes/ha for the secondary crop, with individual plant yields of 800–1,000 g or more. These results provide particularly strong quantitative evidence of KSU's contribution to sustainable food production and agricultural innovation.