István Nagy, Minister of Agriculture, representing Hungary at the Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit in Rome, told the ministerial meeting that the role of local and seasonal foods, short supply chains and reliable information supply was increasingly important in developing sustainable food systems.
According to MTI, Nagy said the ministry supports and promotes such endeavors, adding that Hungary is dedicated to meeting sustainable development targets and has started a national dialogue on food production and consumption. Nagy told the meeting that in Hungary only 10 percent of food ends up in waste, as against 30 percent globally and 20 percent in the European Union.
Nagy also said that thanks to a Hungarian scheme promoting sustainable food consumption and cutting food waste, the country managed to reduce household food waste by 4 percent. He added that the agriculture ministry has placed an emphasis on long-term schemes and campaigns to influence consumer practices. He expressed hope that by expanding the use of precision technologies, Hungary’s agricultural production would become more reliable and predictable, enabling better quality products, fewer burdens on the environment and more weather-resistant food systems.