Environmental research

Organic agriculture shows steady growth during the last three years. In spite of the increased interest in it the experience of Bioselena Foundation indicates that many farmers hesitate to convert to organic agriculture. The main reason is the absence of government support. Another important reason is the expectation of poor crop, because of luck of organic manure. There are only few existing organic stock-farms in Bulgaria, which can t solve that problem, all the more that they are threatened with extinction because of luck of organic fodder. On the market there are organic fertilizers, but they are very expensive and their usage is reasonable only in case of intensive growing of crops such as vegetables. In case the project is not realized organic agriculture will enter more slowly in Bulgaria. Organic land under crop is at risk to diminish, which will result in further pollution of soils and waters and in shortage of habitats of protected spices. The project solves the problem mentioned above by testing and putting into practice of six innovative technologies for organic cultivation of crops without usage of manure on 130 ha land. As a result of partnering with FIBL Bioselena Foundation has at its disposal the technologies needed for the realization of the project. The team of the foundation is trained in their implementation. It has a sound experience in organic cultivation. Thereby the model set is expected to be successful. The main goal of the project is the enlargement of the sustainable managed agricultural land. The specific objectives set are extension of the sustainable managed areas under crop with 130 ha at least; testing of 6 innovative technologies in the field of sustainable management of agriculture land under Bulgarian actualities and their implementation in 15 farms; multiplication of the results by description, analysis, summarizing and dissemination of the results obtained, which reaches 800 farmers. The project will be put into effect on the land of the village of Dabovitsa, municipality of Sungurlare, district of Burgas, where Bio Bulgaria Co-operative has rented 600 hectares land, which has been certified as organic in the year 2005. The Co-operative cultivates only 90 hectares of it, because as plant-growing the farm faces difficulties in dunging. The cultivation will be done without manure or compost. Crop-rotation with as minimum 50% leguminous plants included, higher share of autumn crops in comparison with spring crops and minimum machining for avoiding soil destruction caused by wind will be used instead. In the course of two years 130 hectares of land will be cultivated according the above mentioned new technologies, of which 20 ha will be sown to rye, 20 ha to triticale, 20 ha to maize, 20 ha to beans, 20 ha peas and 30 ha to lucerne. The test will be carried out on a sizable area and will be repeated for representational results to be achieved. The realization of the project will have an effect on biodiversity, climate change, soils degradation, waters, sustainable agriculture and local development. It will increase the sustainable managed agricultural land with 130 ha at least, it will extend the applying of new technologies in the field of sustainable managed agricultural land with 6 new technologies implemented in 15 farms; it will stimulate the collaboration with one more NGO; it will advance the income rising of the 25 families involved in the project. The progress of the test and the results will be described, evaluated and summarized. They will be disseminated among 800 farmers from all the country by means of demonstrations on place, publications in Jiva zemya magazine and on the web sites of Bioselena Foundation and Bio Bulgaria Co-operative. For achieving wider prospects of model s multiplication lecturers and students from the Agrarian University Plovdiv will be attracted by sharing with them the results achieved and the experience gained. The products of the project are as follows: 1 production plan, 12 field journals, 84 t rye corn, 90 t tritikale corn, 52 t peas, 180 t lucerne, 176 t maize corn, 32 t beans, 110 t straw, 1 outcome report, 15 farmers trained in the new technologies, 130 persons attended the demonstrations, 800 farmers acquainted with the results, 25 families received additional income. Project partners goals and activities are exclusively in the field of organic farming, which guarantees the multiplication of the model set and its further development in accordance with the main project goal. The business activities will result in making a profit of 32 822 BGN for the first year and 75 000 BGN after the project ending, which ensures sustainability of the model farm in Dabovitsa. The total budget of the project amounts at 163 666 BGN. The GEF contribution applied for is 75 000 BGN. The total amount of the project partners contribution is 88 666 BGN, of which 43 713 BGN ensured by Bioselena Foundation and 43 830 BGN from Bio Bulgaria Co-operative.

Bulgaria