The 75th jubilee National Agriculture and Food Exhibition (OMÉK) was home to the "Carpathian Basin Rural Development Co-operations" Forum, part of the National Rural Strategy – 2020 series of consultations.

Experts and politicians from Hungarian organisations in Austria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Ukraine received invitations to the discussions, as well as important representatives of Hungarian legislation and government policy.

Similarly to Hungarian agriculture, the rural development of the Carpathian Basin has also reached a milestone – stressed Parliamentary State Secretary József Ángyán at the forum. When introducing the programme of Carpathian Basin Co-operations, the Sate Secretary explained that there is a need for high quality agriculture not only in Hungary, but throughout the Carpathian Basin. We shouldn't support the cultivation of a few monoculture crops, but take decisive steps to assist family run farms and their cooperation. József Ángyán emphasised that unemployment in the region is extremely high.

The goal is to build an agricultural system that provides employment and a livelihood for the greatest possible number of people. The State Secretary stressed that the preservation and collection of our own biological foundations, our autochthonous animal species and unique habitat types may provide a new perspective for agriculture in the Carpathian Basin.

At the discussion, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Németh stated that there is need for an agricultural policy that encompasses the whole region, and with relation to the importance of which he would suggest the use of a three-letter logo, KKK, for Közös Kincsünk a Kárpát-Medence (The Carpathian Basin is our Common Treasure). Zsolt Németh feels it is exemplary that the Ministry of Rural Development has launched this programme, which is supported by the foreign ministry and several other involved ministries. Inter-Hungarian cooperation must be supplemented with a policy of good neighbours. Agriculture is an excellent area for such cooperation. The goal is for the rural strategy of the Carpathian Basin to serve as an example for the whole European Union – stressed the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

Sándor Font, Chairman of the Parliamentary Agricultural Committee, explained that the Carpathian Basin ecosystem pays no regard to national borders. This is why cooperation is important in amongst others the field of measures to combat GMOs. The GMO-resistant potato beetle discovered in the United States once again draws attention to the fact that pure agricultural products should be cultivated in a pure environment.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament István Jakab emphasised that the agricultural idiosyncrasies of non-EU countries may mean that special issues arise during the realisation of the programme. For this reason, it is especially important that farmers in the region cooperate and help one another in the interests of the common cause. At the press conference following the discussions, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development József Ángyán told those present that the recommendations and suggestions of Hungarian organisations operating outside Hungary with regard to the Carpathian Basin Co-operations programme are expected until mid October. According to plans, after these are processed the government and representatives of trans-border organisations are expected to sign an agreement on the programme by the end of the year.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)