By Nabilah Saleh
SERDANG, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Hungary are set to study indigenous livestock breeds to identify genetic and physical traits that enable them to withstand hot, humid and increasingly challenging farming conditions.
A researcher at the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), Associate Professor Dr Istvan Egerszegi, said the research would focus on indigenous ruminants and poultry under a proposed five-year action plan with the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI).
“We plan to carry out phenotypic and genotypic characterisation of these animals and identify the special characteristics that enable the breeds to adapt well to a hot and humid climate,” he told Bernama in an exclusive interview at the Hungarian pavilion during the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) 2026 here today.
MATE and MARDI exchanged the MARDI-MATE Action Plan at MAHA 2026 in the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) yesterday to strengthen cooperation in agricultural innovation and food security.
Egerszegi, who is also attached to MATE’s Tropical and Subtropical Development Board, said the findings could also benefit Hungary as its livestock industry faces rising summer temperatures, drought and constraints in producing sufficient animal feed.
“This year has been very dry in Hungary. We have less water available, which negatively affects crop production and makes feed production more difficult,” he said.
He said indigenous breeds generally possessed greater resilience and could survive in harsher environments while consuming lower-quality feed.
“In good years, when sufficient feed is available, these local breeds can also produce high-quality meat or milk, depending on the species and breed,” he said.
Apart from joint research, Egerszegi said MATE and MARDI planned to organise scientific seminars and seek funding to support high-quality collaborative studies.
He said MATE also intends to invite a Malaysian researcher to speak at the main session of its climate-focused animal science conference, the 10th Animal Breeding Scientific Day to be held in Gödöllő, Hungary, in November.
Egerszegi said MATE was also preparing potential cooperation with Taylor’s University and Universiti Malaya, while exploring discussions with the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA) on space farming and satellite-based monitoring of agricultural land.
MAHA 2026 marked Hungary’s first participation in the biennial exhibition with its own national pavilion, showcasing the country’s agricultural heritage, sustainable food products and educational opportunities.
“Besides promoting the country, we want to give Malaysians a broader picture of the opportunities available in Hungary,” Egerszegi said, adding that Malaysian students could pursue bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programmes at MATE through Hungary’s Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship programme.
-- BERNAMA