Agro-ecological Knowledge Hub

Conference on the future of soil conservation farming in Hungary, 2 March 2021

We all know, but at least we feel, that soil, its condition, is crucial for agriculture, and through that it has a significant impact on our quality of life. Soil has many functions, in this connection it may be worth recalling the list of György Várallyay, who said that soil

  • “Integrator, transformer, reactor of the effects of other natural resources (radiant solar energy, atmosphere, surface and groundwater resources, biological resources). In this way, it provides a habitat for soil life activities, a place to grow natural vegetation and cultivated crops;
  • the basic medium of primary biomass production, the primary nutrient source of the biosphere;
  • a natural storehouse of heat, water and plant nutrients (and - compulsorily - waste);
  • a buffer medium for stress effects on soil (and terrestrial ecosystems) due to natural or human activities;
  • nature's vast filtering and detoxifying system;
  • a significant gene pool in the biosphere, an essential component of biodiversity;
  • a carrier of the earth's historical and historical heritage. "

Compared to its importance, we often treat our soils unworthily, and agriculture also plays a significant role in this. Despite the favorable agro-ecological conditions of the country, we can experience the strengthening of soil degradation processes. This not only reduces the ability of soils to serve the ecosystem, but also limits the production potential of agriculture, so there is no doubt that maintaining soil health also serves the direct economic interests of farmers. We believe that the widespread use of soil-conservation farming practices can be seen as a first step towards the transition from profit-oriented arable farming systems to agro-ecological farming systems.

At our online conference - co-organized by the National Chamber of Agriculture and the Hungarian team of the UNISECO H2020 project - we try to get answers for the following questions:

  • What are soil-conservation farming practices and how can they be applied?
  • What are the economic, social and environmental benefits of soil-conservation farming?
  • What can be done to help the uptake of soil-conservation farming practices in Hungary?

At the conference, we would like to analyze the current situation and outline future trends with actors directly and indirectly involved in the issue of sustainable land use in agriculture.

We cordially invite you and your interested colleagues to the conference.

Date: Tuesday, 2 March, 2021

Location: Online - Zoom

The language of the conference is Hungarian, no interpretation will be provided.

The event is public but subject to pre-registration. Please indicate your appearance electronically by February 28, 2021 by filling out the online registration form at the following link:

REGISTRATION

The information and link required for joining will be sent by e-mail no later than the day before the event..

The Hungarian webpage of the conference: https://uniseco-project.eu/hu/talajkimelos-konferencia

If you have any further questions, please contact Katalin Balázs at or at +36 20 4717 150.

Download: Programme of the conference - in Hungarian

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Programme of the conference

  9:45 – 10:00    Participants enter into the conference platform

10:00  – 10:15   Welcome, Dr. Anikó Juhász, Deputy State Secretary for Agricultural Economy, Ministry of Agriculture // Opening, Katalin Balázs Geonardo Kft.

10:15  – 10:30  The strategic social, economic and environmental importance soils, EU soil strategy, EU Soil Mission - Prof. Borbála Biró, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungarian expert of the EU Mission on Soil Health and Food

10:30  – 10:45   The Hungarian regulatory environment related to soil-conservation farming and plant protection: risks and costs, Gábor Várszegi, NÉBIH - National Food Chain Safety Office

10:45  – 11:00    CAP Strategic planning in Hungary, possibilities of supporting soil-conservation farming - István Madarász / Éva Kinorányi, Department of Support Policy, Ministry of Agriculture

11:00  – 11:15    Practices in agricultural production: soil-conservation farming practices, knowledge sharing and role of advisors - Erzsébet Sztahura, National Chamber of Agriculture

11:15  – 11:30     break

11:30  – 11:45     Experiences of soil-conservation farming practices -  Ferenc Berend, farmer

11:45 – 12:00    Hungarian participation in the EU Agroecological Partnership networking program (ALL-Ready project) and related opportunities for advancing soil-conservation farming in Hungary - Korinna Varga, ÖMKI - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture

12:00 – 12:15     Social aspects, health and sustainable food system, the role of environmental education in raising awareness of the importance of soils - Zsófia Perényi, Association of Conscious Customers

12:15  – 12:30   Agricultural Value Chains and Soil Conservation Farming Practices - Rozália Pecze, Syngenta Hungary

12:30  – 13:15     break

13:15  – 13:30    Soil-conservation farming: dream or reality - HU case study results of the UNISECO H2020 project - Alfréd Szilágyi / Katalin Balázs, Geonardo Ltd.

13:30  – 15:00     Finding the way: domestic status quo and future of soil-conservation farming - round table discussion with the speakers - moderator: Gergely Papp, NAK - National Chamber of Agriculture

 

The UNISECO H2020 project has received support under the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program. Grant contract number: N ° 773901.