Organisers::
Parliamentary Commission for Agriculture

in collaboration with
Szent István University- Institute of Environmental and Landscape Management

and Ökoforrás Foundation


Main patrons:
Katalin Szili, President of the Hungarian Parliament
Sándor Fülöp, Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations
József Pálinkás, President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Patrons:
Sándor Font, President of the Parliamentary Commission for Agriculture
Sándor Orosz, Vice-president of the Parliamentary Commission for the Environment

 

The Hungarian decision-makers have currently undertaken the examination and the renewal of the legal and institutional framework of an extremely important issue, namely the conservation of local varieties, national crop and livestock genetic resources, which constitute an invaluable part of our national heritage, and can play a significant role in implementing a qualitative structural change in our agricultural system, ensuring nutritional and food security as well as expanding rural employment and market opportunities. The general public detains limited information about these issues and decision-makers themselves might be unaware of their importance in sufficient depth.

In our view, the impact of a new legal framework, which deeply affects sustainability, the environmental, economic and social dimensions of human life, the opportunities available for future generations and that has the potential to strengthen local economies and communities, will be the most efficient and beneficial if there is room for a wide public participation in the legislative process by integrating the considerations of science, economy and civil society organizations.

In this spirit and based on the above values the Parliamentary Commission for Agriculture organises an Parliamentary Open Day entitled „Landscape Management, Local Varieties and Genetic Conservation” on May 22, 2009, the International Day of Biological Diversity, between 10 AM and 6 PM in the Senate’s Room of the Hungarian Parliament.