Special meeting of stakeholders in the Hortobágy Hungarian target area

On 25 October 2025, as part of the Central-BIC project, we participated in a farmers’ meeting organised by the Hortobágy National Park Directorate. This meeting coincided with St. Demetrius Day, a notable Hungarian holiday, and was linked to a harvest festival, craft fair and crane festival at Hortobágy. As the cold days and nights of late autumn arrive, the shepherds and their livestock in Hortobágy prepare for winter in accordance with old folk customs.

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From spring to late autumn, the animals that have been grazing freely on the plains are herded from the pastures to their winter quarters as there is no longer enough food to be found in the fields. This spectacular event attracts a large number of interested visitors, as well as local farmers, producers, and sellers of local products, to the village of Hortobágy on this day. This large crowd provides an opportunity to raise awareness of local farmers’ activities and, consequently, of the local produce they bring to market.🧩

During the event, we presented the objectives of the Central-BIC project to those involved and engaged new stakeholders.✅

Dr Andrea Bauerné Gáthy, the Central-BIC project’s lead expert, gave a presentation on the project’s objectives, activities and expected results to local stakeholders. 🍀 During the discussion, the good practices of the farmers present were also collected. Participants at the event unanimously agreed that preserving and transmitting traditional values to future generations can play a decisive role in conserving biodiversity. Farmers who have learnt the ins and outs of grazing since childhood live in close contact with nature. They have learnt to respect the natural values of their environment and know how to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services.

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Central-BIC Interreg