Hungary encourages the development of knowledge-based agriculture

(Photo: AM/Csaba Pelsőczy)

At the BIOEAST and Beyond research and innovation conference, Zsolt Feldman praised the importance of SCAR, highlighting that the body plays an important role in operating research activities and cooperation at the European level and in developing sustainable agriculture. He also spoke approvingly of the BIOEAST initiative, which unites the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in regional research cooperation, and whose participants, he added, are committed to sharing knowledge.

The State Secretary announced that after the recently joined Serbia, new Balkan countries may soon join the initiative

According to Zsolt Feldman, the natural resources of Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans are of paramount importance to Europe, but the region needs support in the interests of sustainability. In order for the region to exploit its potential, closer ties, more effective cooperation and innovation initiatives are needed. In his opinion, flexible and efficiently operating bioeconomies must be established throughout Europe with the participation of industrial and energy players and with increasing research investments.

The State Secretary emphasized that the current period is made difficult by droughts and heat waves in addition to geopolitical uncertainties

Therefore, when transforming agriculture, it must be avoided that, while encouraging innovative solutions and the flow of knowledge, farmers are burdened with new administrative obligations and Member States with additional budgetary burdens. All of these aspects must be taken into account if the development of the programme for the 2028-2034 cycle can begin in 2025, during the Polish and Danish EU presidencies, he added. The State Secretary of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development believes that the challenges accompanying the transformation of food supply must be addressed at global, regional and local levels, and that research and innovation must play an important role in this – without them, there is no food security. Adam Nowak urged technological developments and the early application of innovations in the interests of sustainable food supply, trusting that the Budapest event will bring significant progress in strengthening research and innovation cooperation, identifying challenges and sharing experiences. He also added that the promotion of research and development in agriculture and food security will also be a priority area during the Polish EU presidency following Hungary.

MTI