Interview with Radovan Kasarda

Below is a short interview with Radovan Kasarda, in his role as Theme Coordinator for the Sustainable Food Systems theme at the BUP Symposium 2020. Radovan is a Professor at the Animal Genetics and Breeding Biology (KGPB), Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra - Slovenska polnohospodarska univerzita v Nitre.

1. How did your interest in Sustainable Food Systems begin?

My first touch with sustainability issues began during my PhD study period, when I started to deal with protection of animal genetic resources of farm animals. The topic of my thesis was the breeding systems of using sires in small endangered populations. In fact, in that time (2003) I started thinking and discovered issues of monitoring and preservation of genetic variability in populations on local and later on global level.

2. How do you work with Sustainable Food Systems today?

Today, I am still working with issues of proper management of animal genetic resources. Recent progress in methodologies based on molecular genetic markers allows us to undertake more precise action based on reliable information. Beside this, I am a full time teacher at the university and have in the courses implemented goals of sustainable development according to food resources, biodiversity protection and farming systems. I am applying progressive tools of education to increase students interest in and awareness of problems of sustainable development.

3. What goals do you have with your work?

SDG2 zero hunger; SDG4 quality education; SDG12: responsible consumption and production; SDG15: life on land; SDG17 partnership.

4. What role do you think networks among universities in the Baltic Sea Region play in achieving these goals?

Partnership of educational institutions, which BUP represents, provides a platform to exchange knowledge and experiences, not only in research and education. This point is important to better understand and more generally accept that it is essential to implement SDG´s into everyday life of people on the planet, without exceptions.

5. What role do you see The Baltic University Programme has in collaboration between universities in the Baltic Sea Region?

BUP is the place where new partnerships between scientists could be established for future prospects in research, exchange information about curricula and teaching practice. For students BUP represents a place where they can have foreign experiences during study or internship period, conferences or workshops. Building such partnerships could be benefitial in creation of consortia, applying for research funds or strategic partnerships in education.