Acta Agraria Debreceniensis 150 [antikvár]

Foreword The higher education of economics and agriculture in Debrecen started 150 years ago. The historical roots of our institution reach back to the middle of the 19'^ centiary. In the 1850s, the wise leaders of the city of Debrecen realised that the development of agriculture is the sole opportunity which can make the region of the Tisza River and the Trans-Tisza region the most valuable pantry of the nation. Due to the generous support of the citizens of Debrecen, as well as the enthusiastic work of scientist and teachers, the National Higher Education Institute of Farming was established on October 1868 as the first agricultural higher education institution of the Great Himgarian Plain. Our responsible predecessors knew that educated minds and well-prepared farmers were needed to cultivate our lands, a treasure provided by nature. Following several restructurings, the first agricultural higher education institution in the Trans-Tisza region was established under the name of the Agricultural Academy of Debrecen on the Böszörményi street in 1953. As a result of the gradual extension of education, the College of Agricultural Sciences was established in 1962, followed by the Agricultural University of Debrecen in 1970, along with the Urüversity Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of Debrecen, as well as the College Faculty of Irrigation and Land Development of Szarvas. As a further extension, the College Faculty of Agricultxiral Machinery of Mezőtúr was annexed in 1972, the Karcag Research Institute in 1976 and the Nyíregyháza Research Institute in 1992. The human willpower and the desire to create resulted in a modern imiversity which became one of the scientific agricultural centres of the Trans-Tisza region and the whole country. Due to the vmique image and traditions of the university, the graduated students of this institution obtained rich professional skills and practical experience and, as a result, they managed to reach the goal which was dreamt up once: to make the Trans-Tisza region one of the most valuable region of the Himgarian agriculture. As a result of the long and challenging work, our university has developed into an educational institution which serves manifold and diverse duties and opens up a wide range of opportunities with its co-sciences. Several thousands of graduated students transfer their obtained knowledge into the cities and villages of the region, while managing the everyday life and development of agricultural production. The University of Debrecen was established on I^t January 2000, which represented a new beginning iri the life of the institution. The Agricultural University of Debrecen was a significant and the oldest constituent of the Urüversity of Debrecen. Within the cooperational