Environmental conditions, agricultural production, sustainable development

Marselek, Sándor

Keywords: environmental protection, environmental management, environmental impact, regulation, sustainability

The state of our country’s natural environment is favourable by international comparison and has noticeably improved in the past few years, as a result of government efforts. The environmental condition of our land, however, is consistently deteriorating and the threat of environmental pollution is increasing together with unfavourable tendencies caused by global warming. Today, we live our lives in an artificial environment that embraces the effects of nature and it is our fundamental responsibility to maintain its balance. This has been recognised within the EU and as a result, EU environmental policy is based on cooperation and the search for consensus. If we examine the changes in environmental conditions, we must evaluate regional changes in the environmental elements (air, water, soil), in waste management and in environmental protection. The environment is polluted by industrial and energy production, traffic, waste and sewage formation and, not least, by agricultural production as well.

Industrial scale agricultural production results in increased environmental damage, primarily due to excessive use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Livestock farming pollutes the environment with liquid manure and chemicals, while the air pollution and soil compression caused by heavy machinery also damages the environment. Integrated and ecological farming produces less environmental pollution and thus, the new agricultural model leads to sustainable agricultural development.

Sustainable development is of fundamental importance to the future of our land. This development means improving human standards of living within the capacity of our life-giving ecosystems to support it. The National Environmental Protection Programme was established in the interests of promoting sustainable development and reducing environmental pollution. Its core programme, the National Agricultural Environmental Protection Programme, helps to support environmentally friendly farming.

In the interests of achieving sustainable development, it is expedient to try and persuade agricultural producers, using educational and motivational tools. There is an equal need for special influence and motivation.

Subsidies must serve the establishment of “living regions”. In keeping with this, agricultural production should be environmentally friendly and energy-saving, it should produce healthy produce and should contribute to the conservation of biodiversity.

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