Food production and consumption have a major impact on the environment and human health. Therefore, it is important to achieve transformations towards greater sustainability in the food sector. As in other countries around the world, Hungarian organic food consumers are characterised by the fact that they consume organic food primarily for health reasons. Direct forms, including online purchase, are preferred in the choice of channels since direct contact with producers is very important due to mistrust, which is one of the barriers to the further growth of consumption. Empirical tests of well-known and frequently applied theories also shed light on the connections above. First, an examination was conducted through logistic regression to determine if there exists a correlation between organic food consumption and environmentally and socially conscious consumption traits (such as supporting small-scale producers) within the broader sample (1148), encompassing not just organic food consumers. Subsequently, concentrating solely on organic food consumers (944), factor analysis was employed to reveal connections among the analysed variables and to group Hungarian organic food consumers into clusters based on their consumption and purchasing habits. In conclusion, it is reasonable to assume that organic food consumers are more likely to be environmentally conscious, as they are more aware of the environmental impact of their food choices. Three clearly distinguishable groups were obtained using cluster analysis. These groups can be targeted with different means in order to develop the sector.

This paper aims to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on small family farms in Visegrad countries and to provide evidence of how they have responded and coped with the crisis. We conducted our investigation using an exploratory qua...

This study aims to detect those segments among the Hungarian food consumers who are aware of the climate risks of their food consumption. In order to achieve this goal, a survey was conducted with the participation of Hungarian university students. Data from 1184 households were collected and used in Factor (Principal Component) and Cluster Analysis. Two very conscious clusters were found; both are highly qualified. One favored waste utilization, asserting that and encouraging most of its members to follow a zero-waste lifestyle. The latter mentioned that cluster members are young, and they are in a good financial situation. The findings of this study may be of interest to policy makers for environmentally responsible food consumption guidance and training for planning consumer awareness programs. Even though several previous studies have addressed the concept of consumer awareness concerning food purchase decisions, only few of them dealt with consumer awareness in the environment and climate domain in food consumption in Hungary, so this research could be considered as filling a gap.

The Agro-innovation Broker (AIB) concept was introduced by the European Commission solely to increase the vast spread of innovative solutions in Agriculture. The concept can be perceived as an intermediary between the demand and supply of agricultural research and extension services. This paper’s results are derived from the international research work that aims to develop a training curriculum in the field of agricultural innovation services with effective materials to boost capacity building actions in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEE). Based on consultations with stakeholders, the Hungarian situation analysis allowed comparison with other CEE countries and the expansion of an AIB vocational training curriculum. It helps to better understand the needs of agricultural innovation services through a clear view of advisors’ competences. Our results suggest that apart from the similar knowledge requirements and skills of AIBs across CEE countries, country-specific expectations and needs should be addressed in AIB training.

Agroecology offers a transformative pathway toward sustainable food systems by integrating ecological, economic, and social dimensions of farming. While its conceptual and policy foundations are increasingly recognized in European Union (EU) strategies, the practical adoption of agroecological principles at the farm level remains uneven, particularly in socio-economically peripheral Member States. This article investigates the enabling and constraining factors of agroecological uptake in three EU countries—Czech Republic, Hungary, and Portugal, using a mixed qualitative approach that combined literature review, policy mapping, and 42 in-depth farmer interviews conducted in 2020–2021. Data were analyzed through a shared coding framework, iterative team discussions, and a standardized comparative matrix to ensure cross-country validity. The results reveal shared barriers, including limited institutional coordination, subsidy dependency, and structural land inequalities, alongside country-specific dynamics such as farmer-to-farmer learning in Portugal, family-farm identity in Czechia, and trust-based advisory relations in Hungary. The findings underscore that systemic constraints, rather than conceptual gaps, impede agroecological transitions, and highlight the need for context-sensitive policy instruments, advisory reforms, and training programs aligned with agroecological principles. The paper contributes to the literature by providing empirical insight into farmer attitudes and practices in Central and Southern Europe and by offering actionable recommendations for designing policies and training.

Az ENSZ 193 tagállama 2015 szeptemberében elfogadta a Fenntartható Fejlődési Célokat (Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs) tartalmazó új fejlesztési programot, az Agenda 2030-at. A Millenniumi Célok (Millennium Development Goals, MDGs) után, a 17 átfogó cél és azokat részletező 169 részcél egy integrált rendszert alkotnak, amely a fenntartható fejlődést nemzetközi keretbe helyezi, és összekapcsolja a fejlesztési célkitűzésekkel. A cikk, kiindulva a fenntartható fejlődés koncepciójának nem egységes értelmezéséből és a Millenniumi Célokból, áttekinti az új globális víziót kínáló célrendszert (kiemelve annak néhány alapvető pozitívumát és hiányosságát), amelynek a megvalósítása még hátra van és függ a nemzeti szintű végrehajtástól, a szakpolitikai integrációtól, az együttműködés megerősítésétől és a finanszírozástól.