The Agricultural Economics Institute is at the service of Hungarian farmers and agriculture

By: STA Date: 2024. 05. 24. 10:30

Every sector and, within that, every policy, every ministry needs an institution with a knowledge base like the Agricultural Economics Institute, which cultivates all elements of knowledge at a high level, from data collection to socialization, said Dr. Anikó Juhász, Deputy Secretary of State responsible for Agriculture at the Ministry of Agriculture, at the 2024 Farming and AKI70 conference, Thursday, Budapest. The Institute, which operates as a background institution of the Agricultural Ministry, is Hungary’s most important research and knowledge center with agribusiness databases and policy experience.

(Photo: AM/Zoltán Szabó)

The great value of the Institute of Agricultural Economics is that it not only supports the work of the ministry with this knowledge base, but can also create a bridge between the sector players, that is, our producers, agricultural processors, rural players, as well as science and policy. The basis of AKI’s knowledge base is the data collection information system, with which it has been stably and reliably supporting the operation of the sector for 70 years, and at the same time it has always been able to renew itself, develop and keep up with research methods to the transformations brought about by the challenges of the present – he praised the institutional work the Deputy Secretary of State. The Agricultural Administrative Data Policy (MAAP) project, in which a new agricultural information portal was also created, is also a milestone in this regard.

The deputy state secretary emphasized that AKI is facing such a transformation even now

The institution is currently performing its activities at the expected level, during which it discloses the processed information to the sector supported by valid scientific models and analyses. Among the ministerial background institutions, AKI is outstanding in that it not only works reliably within the domestic framework, but also holds its own on the international professional scene. He represents Hungary in several projects and international organizations, bringing useful professional knowledge to the domestic industry both in his day-to-day work and in his long-term goals, the deputy state secretary pointed out. In the international activities of AKI, it is noteworthy that it also works for COPA-COGECA and the European Commission, as well as participating in several research and EU tenders in international fields. On these platforms, it also represents the interests of the common agricultural policy and international scientific cooperation, BIOEAST. The success and raison d’être of the institute’s professional work is indicated by the increasing market demand for its services, domestic and foreign professional organizations and market participants demand them. The institute also plays a key role in the professional foundation of the preparation and implementation of the CAP strategic plan, which includes the Hungarian framework of the Common Agricultural Policy between 2023 and 2027, or in the operation and development of the damage mitigation system. Agriculture and the food system are not only part of the Common Agricultural Policy, but also rural development and environmental sustainability are increasingly important – stressed Dr. Aniko Juhász. The Institute of Agricultural Economics is the day-to-day strategic partner of the Ministry of Agriculture in the development, planning and implementation of this. In the current years full of multifaceted challenges and tasks, fact-based decision-making and policy-making based on data are particularly important, therefore the Ministry of Agriculture will continue to count on the professional background provided by the institution in the future – concluded the deputy state secretary.