Churches co-operate on safeguarding creation with the government

Representatives of several churches, public institutions and non-governmental organizations, together with the Minister of State for the Ministry of Rural Development have signed an agreement to safeguard our natural heritage by conserving and promoting biodiversity in agriculture. The agreement was initiated by Mr. Sándor Fülöp, the Hungarian Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations.

The signatories of the agreement underline that the genetic varieties of domestic agricultural crops are an essential part of our natural heritage. It is in the interest of present and future generations to save these disappearing fruit species, grown for ages in the regions of the Carpathian Basin. If cultivation of these well-adapted, sturdy varieties would spread again, they could provide the genetic base to protect local production from the effects of global climate change. Due to the changing environmental conditions it is essential to grow fruit trees that will be able to yield fruits even under extreme weather circumstances.

In the framework of the cooperation programme gardens and estates of churches, or municipalities will receive saplings and propagating material from the gene banks and other species collections of the institutions of the Ministry of Rural Development and from the members of the Fruit-growing Network of the Carpathian Basin. The signatories of the agreement initiate and facilitate the local collaboration of schools, parishes, municipalities, professional and civil organizations, and they do trust that their initiative to safeguard our agricultural heritage will swell into a movement.

The signatories also expect that the initiative will save the ancient skills and knowledge connected to traditional fruit-growing and processing, and, adapted to the present opportunities, it will spread through its practical application. Furthermore the young people living in the countryside will get familiar with the possibilities of adapted fruit-growing and landscape-friendly farming, and they can also begin to contribute to restoring the economy of life in their homeland.

The agreement was signed on 5 September 2011 in the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations.

Full text of the agreement can be downloaded in English or in Hungarian.