Drought is affecting Central and Southern Europe on an unprecedented scale, causing widespread damage to crops. Hungary is therefore planning to raise the issue of assistance at the European Council meeting on 24 September.

Other countries such as Romania, the Czech Republic, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Italy and Spain are also expected to join the initiative. Hungarian Minister for Rural Development Sándor Fazekas spoke about these plans to the Hungarian News Agency (MTI) after meeting with other countries’ representatives at the meeting of agricultural ministers in Cyprus.

The proposal urges the European Commission to review every opportunity to help farmers hit by the drought. Minister Fazekas mentioned the possibility of emergency aid from the EU Social Fund, as well as temporarily lifting environmental restrictions.

The meeting of ministers between 9 and 11 September focused on the issues of climate change, water management and sustainable agriculture. Minister Fazekas stated that Hungary considers sustainable water management to be important, together with the wider use of effective and economical irrigation systems, and of drought-resistant crops. Soil cultivation methods supporting water retention are also crucial, as well as harmonisation of EU and national soil protection strategies. Renewable, biomass-based energy should be produced from agricultural by-products and communal waste, he added. In the light of climate change Minister Fazekas emphasised that there should also be support for research on resistant plants which are not genetically modified.

(Ministry of Rural Development)