Examination of Climate Innovation Targets in the Transdanubia Planning-Statistical Regions

Biró, Kinga – Szalmáné Csete, Mária

Keywords: climate change, agricultural digitalisation, agricultural innovation, climate innovation, Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), Q01, Q16, Q55

The agricultural sector is extremely vulnerable to the growing effects of climate change. The increase in the frequency of extreme weather events, the prolonged and intensifying heatwaves, and the scarcity of water pose new challenges for farmers. The research explores the experience and activities of Hungarian agribusinesses related to climate change, as well as presents the Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) solutions and tools that appear in the businesses examined in the Transdanubia (NUTS 1) part of the country to provide an opportunity to raise awareness, better understand the topic and transfer good practice, thereby to help the sector to move in a positive direction from a sustainability perspective. The focus of our research is on the hypothesis that the application of CSA solutions effectively contributes to the implementation of sustainable agricultural and rural development.
In our study, the CSA-focused qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the farmers is presented in the three Transdanubia regions, in which both mitigation and adaptation aspects appear. Based on the results, it can be concluded that incorporating a climate-oriented smart approach into the planning strategies and portfolios of companies can contribute to the productivity and digital switchover of farms can be developed sustainably, while climate risks, greenhouse gas emissions and the sector’s vulnerability to climate change can also be reduced. To create sustainable agricultural and rural development in Hungary, the development and application of CSA tools have significant and outstanding potential, as it can support not only EU climate policy goals, but also national recovery and resilience-building plans, in line with green economic development goals and the digital transition.

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