In the NetPoulsafe Team, MATE (formerly NAIK) is one of the two Hungarian partners. Today, we welcome Prof. András Székács who will present MATE and its role in the NetPoulSafe project.
Could you please present yourself?
I am Prof. András Székács, Project Coordinator at MATE, Scientific Advisor, Deputy Director – Institute of Environmental Sciences at MATE, expert in hazard characterization and risk assessment of agricultural technologies.
Who is MATE?
With the foundation of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences ( MATE : Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem), one of the largest agricultural-focused, multi- disciplinary higher education institutions in Europe was established on 1 February 2021. The University has an outstanding role in the word class education that provides, under the guidance of the Hungarian agriculture possessing excellent qualities, inspiring career and a cost-of-living safety for young graduated students. There are 20 institutes operating at the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which supply the basic activities of education, research, art and innovation across campuses. The research portfolio of MATE includes agricultural, technical and food sciences, oenology, viticulture, horticulture, environmental and landscape management, renewable energy management, aquaculture and environmental safety, genetics, crop production and protection, animals’ husbandry and game management, landscape architecture, rural development and water management.
What is the role of MATE in the Netpoulsafe project?
MATE is involved in various tasks of the NetPoulSafe project, including facilitation of the establishment of the Hungarian AKIS network in the poultry sector, data collection, testing of support measures on pilot farms, evaluation of data generated during the project, as well as dissemination activities within the local network.
Why are you interested to work on the Netpoulsafe project?
Biosafety is a key question also in the pountry sector, and antimicrobial resistance is an issue of importance not only for the sector, but also in general in environmental and food safety, as well as environmental and human health. Therefore, contributing to the project, we can not only help poultry production in Hungary, but can also act for the benefit of environmental, animal and human health.
Do MATE and UVMB (the second hungarian partner) work together?
In addition to international collaboration prospects, project Netpoulsafe also strongly promotes domestic research collaboration for us with the University of Veterinary Medicine at Budapest (UVMB). The legal predecessors of MATE have already been involved in collaboration with UVMB, but UVMB providing the Hungarian Netweok Faciltator for project Netpoulsafe, this project allows particularly strong collaboration with the Digital Food Chain Education, Research, Development and Innovation Institute of UVMB in the fields of poultry biosafety and disease prevention.
What are your expectations from the Netpoulsafe project?
As a result of our work, we expect documented improvements in food/environmental safety of the poultry industry. In addition, the project allows possible extension of the collaboration into scientific research e.g., effective implementaion of residue analysis in the practice of biosecurity management.