GI/GIS will be the spatial backbone for agricultural policy implementation and control

Mr. András Pásztohy, Ministerial Commissioner of MoARD emphasizes the importance of the introduction of map-based information systems in the follow-on actions. Image: HUNAGI Visuals resource, 2007

eFarmer - contribution to the main goals of Collaboration and Community Building

The Conference held at the HUNGEXPO Budapest Fair Center was chaired by Prof. István Fehér of the Szent István University (SZEI). The Opening and keynote address were delivered by András Pásztohy of MoARD, Prof. József Molnár, Rector of Szent István University, Michal Demes of FAO SEUR, Peter Wellisch, IACS project Manager of the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (MVH), Attila Tóth, President of the International eFarmer Consortium, Johannes Keizer of FAO GILW at Rome and Tamás Bori of DG Agri of the European Commission.

On behalf FAO SEUR Michal Demes made recommendations for strategic partnership including e-Farmer Portal , ESCORENA Network and the FAO related thematic Knowledge Networks. He mentioned implicite the recently started talks with international and Hungarian communities in the field of spatial informatics, spatial data such as digital orthophotos and maps.

(See the entry spot of January 25 on this blog)
In the field of regional and national communication systems - the AgroWeb (AW) Network, he addressed issues in the V4 region (the so called Visegrád-Countries: CZ,HU,PL,SK) and emphesized the lack of sustainable personal contact and continuity and introduced the present priorities in order to support local AW portal managers and to strengthen the national coordinators in different expert fields. These territorial portals supporting knowledge sharing and cooperation in the Caucasus and Central Asia region and in the South-East-Europe region as well. This is the area which is on the priority list of the EUROGI WAG International Affairs ie. the extension towards the EU Neighbour Countries with special emphasis on the alignement of the spatial infrastuctures. (See map, courtesy by FAO AgroWeb)

Related sources:

http://www.efarmer.sk , http://www.fao.org./world/Regional/REU/escorena/escorena_default_en.html , http://www.fao.org/knet/index_enhtm?lang=en

More geospatial relevant messages of Peter Wellisch, Johannes Keizer, László Gábor Papócsi of SZEI (www.efarmer.net ) and Gábor Csornai, Head of the FÖMI Remote Sensing Center (www.fomi.hu ) will be given asap. It was good to see some HUNAGI members in the audience too. A dedicated two-page leaflet in English has been disseminated on the spot describing HUNAGI, the Hungarian Spatial Data Interest Community in nutshell.