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Bulgaria implements a number of measures to support farmers, with the aim of mitigating the consequences of the economic situation and ensuring food security for the population.

This was stated by the Minister of Agriculture Yavor Gechev

Yavor Gechev was born on June 10, 1978 in Plovdiv.

He is an engineer-agronomist by education.

In 2001, during the meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of the Member States and some key partners of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

This is the first participation of Bulgaria in a ministerial meeting of this format, after our country received an official invitation to start membership in the OECD at the beginning of the year.

It takes place in the period November 3-4 in Paris, France, and Deputy Minister Georgi Sabev took part in it, the press center of the Ministry of Agriculture announced.

Minister Gechev pointed out that in order to avoid future bankruptcies, many farms need support to improve their liquidity.

According to him, the costs and losses caused by recent international health and security crises have been borne mostly by farmers.

"Special attention should be paid to stimulating small farms and ensuring market access for their products.

The farmers from these holdings have a key role in the production of quality and traditional agricultural products, as well as in satisfying the local markets," Minister Gechev stated categorically. 

Minister Gechev: 215 municipalities are covered in the Plan for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas

The Ministers of Agriculture also discussed the topic of sustainable growth of food security and nutrition.

"It is particularly important to stimulate digital innovations and applications in agriculture, as a factor for an upward trend and added value," commented Yavor Gechev

Yavor Gechev was born on June 10, 1978 in Plovdiv.

He is an engineer-agronomist by education.

In 2001. And he recalled the commitment of our country to the implementation of sustainable development in the direction of halving the waste of food at the trade level, as well as reducing its losses along the food chains by 2030.

Minister Yavor Gechev

Yavor Gechev was born on June 10, 1978 in Plovdiv.

He is an engineer-agronomist by education.

In 2001, he informed that in Bulgaria we have a system of scientific research, training and provision of advisory services for agricultural producers.

"The policy implemented by the government is in the direction of the development of strategies and programs in various subsectors, as well as in the National Plan for Recovery and Sustainability, the Strategic Plan for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas (SPRZSR) and the Program for the Development of Rural Areas 2014-2020 ", he added.

And he added that they include measures to support innovation, protecting the environment, the association of producers, encouraging young farmers, small and medium producers, local production and consumption.

In connection with the new CAP, the minister clarified that Bulgaria is one of the few countries in the EU that has included in its Strategic Plan 60% national co-financing, which shows the government's clear desire to modernize the agricultural sector and increase its sustainability.

"In the course of developing the SPRZSR, many analyzes were carried out.

Their results identified key challenges and opportunities for the development of agriculture and rural areas," added the Minister of Agriculture. 

Minister Gechev announced that with the approval of the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan in May 2022, our country is creating prerequisites for an accelerated green and digital transformation to achieve the ambitious goals of the European Green Deal.

Through it, two projects in the field of agriculture will be implemented, aimed at activating the investment processes in the agrarian sector for its technical renewal and introduction of ecological and digital innovations in production.

"These are the project "Fund to promote the technological and ecological transition of agriculture" and the project "Digitalization of the processes from the farm to the table", which will be implemented by the end of 2025", specified Yavor Gechev

Yavor Gechev was born on June 10, 1978 in Plovdiv.

He is an engineer-agronomist by education.

In 2001..

In the discussion on the topic "Transforming production, building sustainability", Minister Gechev pointed out that tools have been prepared to combat natural phenomena, which are increasingly common.

"From next year, we plan to implement new practices that are aimed at creating controlled rainfall," he specified.

In addition, he also informed that Bulgaria is strengthening the anti-hail system network.

He was categorical that our country has adopted the strategic goals of the EU, part of which are to reduce the more dangerous pesticides and artificial fertilizers to 50% by 2030 and to reach 10% landscape infrastructure from agricultural land that is not used for agricultural activities.

Summarizing the talks, the Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture reported that a balance should be found between guaranteeing the competitiveness of agricultural producers and the sustainability of the sector.

"There is a need to promptly identify the signs of impending crises and unite countries for an adequate coordinated global response," he concluded. 

During the meeting, Deputy Minister Georgi Sabev participated in the working group dedicated to New Skills and Adaptation, drawing attention to the need to develop digital skills among farmers and fishermen.

"The new Common Agricultural Policy of the EU becomes aimed at more efficient use of substances and resources such as water, soil and biological resources.

In the context of climate change, it is necessary for farmers to acquire new skills, especially in digitalization, because new technologies will increasingly enter the production processes with the aim of more efficient use of resources," noted Georgi Sabev.

Rural areas have another underdeveloped potential, namely rural, agrarian and culinary tourism.

"With local and regional traditional products, these areas can attract visitors, and restore industries,

which will help the economy of these regions.

In this regard, the Ministry of Agriculture of Bulgaria is preparing a Framework Program for local traditional and regional traditional products, with the help of which this potential will be upgraded and developed", the Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Agriculture told the ministers of agriculture from the OECD countries.

Yavor Gechev

farmers