István Nagy, Hungary’s minister of agriculture, highlighted the importance of supporting local producers by shortening supply chains at the 13th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture this week, the agriculture ministry has said in a statement.
The past year has shone a light on the significance of the agricultural and food sectors and how vital the work of farmers and producers is, the ministry cited Nagy as saying in a letter addressed to the forum held on January 18-22.
The minister also pointed out that farmers were the ones most impacted by the effects of climate change, adding that he was convinced that the challenges facing the sector could only be overcome by getting them involved.
Agriculture ministry state secretary Zsolt Feldman told a session focused on the coronavirus pandemic that the farming and food industries had a duty not just to ensure the stability of the global agricultural and food supply system but also to ensure worldwide food security and respect for farmers.
The Hungarian government has done everything in its power to guarantee the safe and unimpeded trade of agricultural products, Feldman said. In addition, the Hungarian food safety authority provides recommendations and guidelines to businesses and households in connection with food security, he said.
Hungary’s government has allocated more than 25 billion forints (EUR 70.0m) towards mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic on the agricultural and food sectors, Feldman said.
The forum’s participants issued a joint declaration emphasising the importance of the role of biodiversity, pollinators and modern irrigation systems as well as the positive effects of afforestation in mitigating climate change, the ministry said. The document also highlights the need for using modern technologies to boost the productivity of the food industry.
featured image: Minister István Nagy; via Tamás Kovács
