National Node Bulgaria activities on innovation, knowledge exchange and EIP-AGRI

National Node-Bulgaria operates through a National Node Facilitator (NNF), which is the national point of contact in the country. The primary role of the NNF is to overseeing and coordinate the establishment and operation of the National Nod. The NNF also ensures a two-way flow of information on all national issues between the national node and the country coordinator (if individuals are responsible).

The members of the National Node in Bulgaria are representatives of:

- Operational groups that have been established under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020

- Advisory organisations, including the National Agricultural Advisory Service

- Research institutes and agricultural universities in the country, including. and the Agricultural Academy

- Ministry of Agriculture and Food, as the national focal point for the ACIS

- Executive Agency for Environment and Water, as the national body responsible for the national soil monitoring network

- farmers

National facilitator is a representative of the National Service for Agricultural Advice - Ivanka Todorova

In 2024, the main activity of the NN Bulgaria was the establishment of the national network, exchange of information on the project, on conservation practices, on operational groups

In connection with a planned call of intervention under the Strategic Plan for Agricultural and Rural Development (SPARD) 2023-2027, related to support for the establishment of operational groups, the project held a national webinar at the end of the year with the participation of over 100 participants. The webinar presented the application requirements and examples of relevant topics related to soil health.

Beginning in 2025 and ending February 7, the NAAS supported, prepared and submitted 19 projects for the establishment of operational groups, many of them related to soil conservation and sustainable farm management.

Some of the topics are related to organic and regenerative agriculture, practices reducing the use of crop protection products through the introduction of alternative crop products, cover crops, management of livestock waste products, etc.

The NN Bulgaria has continued its active work by presenting a series of activities on the topic of agricultural production at the International Agricultural Fair AGRA 2025 - Plovdiv. In the framework of the project, 2 national seminars were held in Plovdiv: on the activities of AKIS in the country with keynote speakers from the Ministry of Agriculture and on the presentation of good practices for soil health selected and described within the Soil-X-Change project.

A series of NN meetings are to be held and these meetings will continue to exchange practices, ideas and opportunities for the establishment of operational groups.

A huge challenge will be the forthcoming call for projects of operational groups on the SPARD 2023-2027, planned for September-October 2025.

Find out about innovative rural projects in Bulgaria - https://www.sp2023.bg/index.php/bg/akis

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