Delegation from Czech Republic headed by minister of agriculture Marian Jurečko visited our university

     Minister of agriculture of Czech Republic visited National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, one of the leading higher educational establishments in Europe. He also visited Ukrainian laboratory of food quality and safety. Our university cooperates with Mandel University (Brno). By the way current minister is a graduate of this university.

     Stanislav Nikolaienko told about other university partners such as Czech University of Life Sciences, scientific and research institute of agriculture, enterprise “Brunnthaler”. By the way students of Faculty of Animal Sciences and Water Bio resources have been training at “Brunnthaler” for ten years already. Our goal is to enable students of engineering specialties to train there as well.

     Rector presented the history and the structure of the university which will soon celebrate its 120th anniversary. First, our university was an agricultural department of Kyiv Politechnika. Dmytro Mendeleev examined students there. Rector invited minister and ambassador of Czech Republic Radek Matula to take part in University celebrations, to enable Marian Jurečka visit Ukraine for the third time.

    Marian Jurečka presented his vision of cooperation between Ukraine and Czech Republic. He detailed agricultural possibilities. He sees a big potential in developing agriculture and producing food products. Food production is an essential issue, as population of our planet is constantly growing. And in the next 30 years we will feel 30% need in food. The second challenge is global warming. Thus, mankind should be ready to grow new species and agricultural crops which are adapted to these conditions. And the third challenge is high quality food. Czech Republic is experiencing the influence of a society on agricultural producers so that they use fewer pesticides. There is a rise in organic plant protection too. So scientists and agricultural producers work together to tackle these problems.

     Marian Jurečka said that 11% of the area of the country is ecological farming. Czech people are also proud of forestry. In recent years the area of forests has been increased and controlling is rather strict.

     In these terms we think about Ukrainian Carpathians because many trees are being cut. And due to scientists from NUBiP this crucial issue is raised at a governmental level.

     Ukraine has a big potential, the thing is to reach this potential.
     There were many questions, the issue of land sales being the most painful. Rector Stanislav Nikolaienko and vice-rector Serhii Kvasha asked how they solve this problem in Czech Republic.

    The minister said that the land as parents’ heritage must not be sold. Only a farmer who works on this land has the right to sell it. Czech Republic also faces many problems related to village. There have disappeared many villages. However, the government is doing too much to tackle this problem.

     The next question was about education that a farmer should obtain. The minister believes that a farmer should obtain high vocational education and then learn all their life.

     Professor Mykola Dolia suggested a joint project in the sphere of organic farming. Associate professor Taras Yevsiukov asked about consolidation of small farms. The answer was the current situation is the most effective.

     Head of the department of innovative activity and transfer Vasyl Turinsky asked about the governmental support for animal growing and organic production.

     Ambassador of Czech Republic said that Ukrainians can rely on Czech Republic’s support and highlighted that cooperation between universities should intensify.

Valentyn Obrambalskyi