National Agricultural and Food Centre (Lead Partner)

Nemzeti Biodiverzitas- es Genmegorzesi Kozpont (Main Cross-border Partner)

The National Agricultural and Food Center (hereinafter referred to as „NPPC“), established on 1.1.2014, consists of four Research departments. NPPC- Research Institute of Animal Production Nitra (NPPC-VÚŽV), NPPC – Research Institute of Soil Science and Soil Protection (NPPC-VÚPOP ), NPPC – Plant Production Research Institute (NPPC-VÚRV), NPPC – Food Research Institute (NPPC-VÚP).The main mission of NPPC is to ensure comprehensive research and a collection of knowledge in the field of sustainable use and protection of natural resources, especially soil and water for growing plants and animal husbandry, quality and safety, innovation and competitiveness of food and non-food products of agricultural origin, production and non-production impact of agriculture on environment and rural development and transfer of agricultural research knowledge to its users. An important mission of NPPC is a development of international cooperation and its integration into the international scientific research space. The main activities of NPPC include cooperation with scientific institutions and universities in Slovakia, activities in professional bodies and associations, consultancy, expertise, conceptual, and prognostic activities, publishing, monitoring, accreditation, testing and controling activities, coordination of National programs for the preservation of gene pool of the native and endangered species of plants and breeds of farm animals including creation of the national databases.

The National Centre for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation (NBGK) was established by the merger of the former GöDiK (Növényi Diverity Centre) of the National Biodiversity and Gene Conservation Centre of Gödöllő on 1 June 2019. NBGK is a central budgetary body managed by the Ministry of Agriculture. The resulting institution functions as the largest and central gene bank in Hungary, which performs full-scale gene banking tasks. It provides relevant gene conservation and variety protection, research and development and innovation, rural development, education and educational activities related to its collections and stocks. The Institute considers the protection and preservation of biodiversity to be a priority task. Biodiversity or biodiversity means the diversity of life on Earth, i.e. habitats and species diversity, and genetic diversity within species. The protection of genetic resources, in particular the conservation of genetic resources and genetic resources of crops and farm animals, is a priority throughout the world, as set out in international conventions with specific obligations: the Convention on Biological Diversity and the FAO International Convention on Plant Genetic Resources for Agriculture and Food. Our country is a party to both conventions.