On November 26th 2014, the fourth edition of the Science–Business–Agriculture Conference opened at the Puławy Research and Technology Park. The event, organised by the PUŁAWY Competence Centre, was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of State Treasury, and Fertilizers Europe.
“The efforts undertaken by the Competence Centre, which prepared the ‘25 years of Polish agriculture. Food security in Europe’ report, coincide with the global debate on models of sustainable agriculture. Today food products from Poland have an opportunity to gain worldwide recognition. We would like to see Polish agriculture, currently our fourth largest economic sector, not only stay strong, but also become the first or second most important driver of the country’s growth in the next decade,” said Paweł Jarczewski, President of the Grupa Azoty Management Board.
Włodzimierz Karpiński, Minister of the State Treasury, also wrote a letter to the attendees.
“Polish agriculture will benefit from intelligent dialogue and a collaborative relationship between science and industry. What our agricultural sector needs is experience sharing initiatives between manufacturers and researchers, as well as new fertilizer research projects and the knowledge provided by scientific institutions,” emphasised Mr Karpiński.
This year’s conference opened with an official presentation of the ‘25 years of Polish agriculture. Food security in Europe’ report. The authors discussed key conclusions from the report and the results of a survey carried out among agricultural opinion leaders. They also posed a number of questions representing the most important challenges facing Polish agriculture.
“Growing agricultural exports, currently worth more than EUR 20bn, an improved farming culture, and a turn towards precision agriculture are currently the key trends in Poland’s agricultural industry,” said prof. Janusz Igras, Head of the New Chemical Syntheses Institute of Puławy and Scientific Editor of the report. “Polish agricultural and food products are highly valued in Europe. Farmers are aware of their excellent quality, and can see a significant potential for growth in this area in the future. It is time we looked at the agricultural sector from a business perspective,” added prof. Igras.
“I would like to express thanks and appreciation to business people, whose knowledge, foresight and daily effort provide the driving force for the continued growth of the Polish economy, increasing its competitiveness in international markets. I believe the conference at the Puławy Research and Technology Park will also play an important role in furthering this strategic objective,” wrote Polish President Bronisław Komorowski in his letter to the conference participants.
The event also provided the setting for a debate on Polish agricultural brands taking European markets by storm. The participants included representatives of Polish brands that are widely recognised in Europe.
“The Puławy Competence Centre is a modern agricultural think tank. We focus on providing a platform for exchanging the experience of farmers, the know-how of agricultural input manufacturers and the knowledge of research institutions, offering Polish agricultural business owners an even greater innovative advantage. It is our objective to ensure that they carry out their business in the most profitable manner possible,” explained Zenon Pokojski, Vice-President of the Grupa Azoty Zakłady Azotowe PUŁAWY Management Board, Coordinator of the PUŁAWY Competence Centre Consortium and co-author of the report ‘25 years of Polish agriculture. Food security in Europe’.
The 4th Science–Business–Agriculture Conference was attended by scientists, government delegates, farmers, and representatives of leading manufacturers of chemical products for agriculture. Over 200 guests had an opportunity to share experience and make new contacts for future partnerships.
The PUŁAWY Competence Centre is Poland’s first agricultural think tank bringing together three different viewpoints: the experience of agricultural producers, the know-how of agricultural input manufacturers, and the expertise and vision of agricultural research institutions. Established in 2011, the Competence Centre is now an agile collaboration platform for agricultural research and business communities. Its mission is to promote a modern approach to agricultural production and provide tangible benefits to all participants of the agricultural market. The PUŁAWY Competence Centre is a cooperation and information sharing platform for farmers, agricultural consultants, research institutions, and the wider business community.