Strategic Issues of Hungarian Agriculture

Székely, Csaba

Keywords: agricultural target system, competitiveness, strategic analysis, strategic options rural strategy, Q15, Q18

Strategy is the most important tool for managing organisations, thereby influencing the future. This approach also plays an important role in the practice and theory agricultural economics. The development of the future of agriculture, however, is a very complex task. During the development of the strategy, decisions have to be made not only about food production, sales and long-term living of the rural population, but also about the conservation of natural resources, providing renewable energy, maintaining the richness of the ecosystem and creating liveable conditions for people in rural areas. It also raises the need for competitiveness, as some countries and regions strive to keep their markets and acquire new ones in order to utilise their natural resources. However, the environmental (political, social, economic, ecological and technological) conditions to which it is necessary to adapt are constantly changing, but at the same time a (positive) strategic influence on the environmental conditions could also be a target.
Agriculture, the whole agricultural sector and the rural regions have especially important roles in Hungary. Some people say that the natural conditions in Hungary are particularly suitable for agricultural production and that is why Hungary should increasingly contribute to meeting the world’s growing food needs. Others emphasise the importance of the preservation of the natural and biological resources and the importance of ensuring sustainability, and they warn against their intensive exploitation. In addition, the issues of appropriate production forms and organisations and the ownership of the limited agricultural land also arise, and these have consequences for the national policy as well. Therefore the development of the agricultural strategy and its adaptation to the continuously changing conditions is a versatile, informationintensive task which requires scientific approach. It also requires effective strategic tools and methods, mental capacity and the use of the achievements of the related disciplines.

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