The 2nd stakeholder meeting was organized in two parts in Hungary by WWF Hungary and KÖTIVIZIG. The first part was organized for farmers on 5 October, while the second part aimed authorities and regional asset managers on 14 October. The results of the Danube Floopdplain project were presented to the stakeholders with special focus on the pilot area located near Tiszaföldvár, Martfű and Cibakháza.

On 5 October 2021 stakeholder meeting in Szolnok, Hungary was organised aiming at involving farmers to give inputs about their needs and experiences about the lack of water on the area.  Participants first listened to presentations which showed various possibilities of water supply on this former deep floodplain area. It could improve long drought conditions of the area. As no infrastructure is present on the area, it would be technically possible to make the floodplain active again.

In case of floodplain activation the area could serve the mitigation of catastrophic flood events and with setting up a water supply system smaller floods could serve as water supply in drought periods.

Various possibilities of advantageus land use change were also presented – from a possibility of conservation of current land use structure but with an adaptation of hygrophilous crops through applying plants and trees or wetland which break up monotonity of intensive cultures, improving biodiversity and water balance.

In the second part of the event a very active discussion followed where the present farmers spoke about their problems which are in connection with area payments: EU CAP doesn’t support those areas wich are inundated, they need to irrigate but irrigation channels don’t work. They would not do any agricultural activity there if the area would be an active floodplain again because they can’t report a vis maior in that case.

Summarizing the outcome of the event, people would like the idea of any water supply but Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) must serve the new land use system.

On 14 October 2021, participants first listened to presentations which showed various possibilities of water supply on this former deep floodplain area. It could improve long drought conditions of the area. As no infrastructure is present on the area, it would be technically possible to make the floodplain active again.

In case of floodplain activation the area could serve the mitigation of catastrophic flood events and with setting up a water supply system smaller floods could serve as water supply in drought periods.

Various possibilities of advantageous land use change were also presented – from a possibility of conservation of current land use structure but with an adaptation of hygrophilous crops through applying plants and trees or wetland which break up monotonity of intensive cultures, improving biodiversity and water balance.

Hereinafter, role of cost-benefit analysis with an integration of certain, monetizable ecosystem services was presented.

Modelling results of potential natural vegetation of the area could be helpful in planning of new land use system and also in showing location of new xerophytic or hygrophilous associations since after the alterations and the restorations the water surplus is not obvious on the whole area.

At the end representative of the chamber of agriculture in Hungary gave an insight about new possibilities in financial support of outlined water retention activities.

In the second part of the event a very active discussion followed and this focused on verifying the feasibility of the technical solutions from water directorate land ownership and nature conservation perspective. All authorities are working under current legal conditions and could not change the whole structure at once. A step by step solution is needed where the first step would be to make this land use type to be supportable.

Photo gallery of the event