Implementing the AE in Bulgaria: Challenges and opportunities of a new EU member state

Vyara Stefanova 25 November 2010, Probistip, Macedonia

Facts and figures (1)

Total area of Bulgaria = 11.1 million ha UAA = 5.3 million ha - Arable land 61.8% - Permanent pastures 33.8% - Permanent crops 4.0% - Family gardens 0.3% Forest area = 3.7 million ha Inland waters = 0.2 million ha

16%

2% UA A Forests Other land use Inland waters

48%

34%

Facts and figures (2)

Natura 2000 sites 33% of the territory - 114 SPAs 20.4% of the territory - 228 pSCI 29.5% of the territory

HNV farmland Total area 1 630 035 ha defined as HNVF (around 30% of UAA)

 1998-1999- First AE zonal AE schemes developed by NGOs:

- Agrienvironmental center in Plovdiv - BSPB

Overview of the development of AE schemes in BG

1999- First Draft of AE measure under SAPARD (approved in 2000) with NARDP 2000- Working group for detailizing AE measure developed June 2001 AE department established 2001 PHARE project for detalising SAPARD measures May 2003 Measure approved by STAR Committee (EC) 2003 Permanent WG for AE measure established

 21 September 2004 Rules for the implementation of the AE measure approved by the Collegium of MAF September 2005 - National accreditation of AE measure refused March 2006 Submitted to the EC for accreditation 29 September 2006 Accredited By EC October- November 2006 First call for applications 168 applications submitted March 2007 Second call for applications 48 applications submitted 2004-2007 AE measure for 2007-2013 developed

Overview of the development of AE schemes in BG st

SAPARD MEASURE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRACTICES AND ACTIVITIES

Main characteristics:
pilot measure for 5 years implemented for pilot activities and pilot regions

Total budget (EU+ National ) 12.52 MEURO.

ALL FARMERS SHOULD UNDERTAKE THE BASIC WHOLE FARM PACKAGE PLUS AT LEAST ONE ACTIVITY FROM THE SUPPLEMENTARY PACKADGES, SUPPORTED BY AGRIENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING
MANAGEMENT OF SEMINATURAL HABITATS high mountain pasture natural coastal pasture wetlands, etc.

AGRIENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING

SUPPORT TO ANTIEROSION PRACTICES AND ACTIVITIES

ORGANIC FARMING

BASIC AGRI-ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING PREPARATION OF WHOLE FARM AGRI-ENVIRONMENT PLAN KEEPING OF FARM RECORDS AND PREPARATION OF FARM ACCOUNTS COMPLIANCE WITH GOOD FARMING PRACTICE

DNA N O T ART S N O ME D I N O T AN MESS D I I I STL USE R F O

PRESERVATION OF ENDANGERED LOCAL BREEDS

ORGANIC FARMING
ORGANIC PRODUCERS OR FARMERS IN CONVERSION WERE SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING CROPS WERE SUPPORTED: Fodder crops fruits vegetables Essential-oil and medicine crops

ENDANGERED LOCAL BREEDS

Following breeds received support Local grey cattle Rodophe shorthorn cattle Karakachan sheep Red-copper sheep

Management of semi-natural habitats

The municipalities in the following Nature parks were supported: Strandja Nature park, Rusenski lom Nature park and Coastal Dobrudja

Rotational grazing; To stop the use of pesticides and fertilizers Management of meadows and pastures

SUPPORT TO ANTIEROSION PRACTICES AND ACTIVITIES

Catchments of river Struma and river Arda Grass cover with perennial grass mixtures Grassed buffer zones Strip cropping Runoff lead away furrows Erosion control in row spacing of orchards and vineyards Fore crops for erosion control Narrow terraces Ameliorative practices in pastures

Challenges faced for the implementation of the measure(1)

General: - Lack of relevant experience in the administrative authorities; - Problems with the definitions of a farm - Land parceling (difficult to apply and control the whole farm approach);

Challenges faced for the implementation of the measure (2)

Basic package - How to develop the AE plan and what to include in the plan; - How and who will control the verifiable standards of Good farming practice (how many times and what will be the penalty for non compliance);

Challenges faced for the implementation of the measure(3)

Supplementary packages - How to involve the municipalities in the implementation of the management of seminatural habitats and anti-erosion activities - How achieve good results for antierosion practices ( how to involve more farmers for the same activity

SOME LESSONS LEARNED(1)

Start as early as possible with national schemes in order to gain the relevant experience Develop the schemes simple and test them in a pilot region piloting is important not only for the programming period but also for implementation Start the agri- environmental training of farmers and relevant authorities as early as possible Use the bottom up and partnership approach

SOME LESSONS LEARNED (2)

Use the experience of the different stakeholders and NGOs by involving them in the programming period and for communication the information to the farmers Support institutionally the projects in the area of AE If you have traditional environmentally friendly production try to include it in the AE scheme horizontally on the whole territory of the country \region\ Do not promote the AE sceme if you are not sure when it is going to be implemented (this can lead to a negative instead of possitive effect)

SOME LESSONS LEARNED(3)

Create a working group with a wide range of stakeholders Ask the stakeholders to test the rules for implementation of the measure before finalizing them (it might not be enough to put it on the website and wait for recommendations) Use international expertise (you can always adjust it to the specific conditions of the country) Try to pilot OF horizontally with support to a limited number (traditional) crops more than half of the submitted applications are for OF

National Agri-environment Programme for Bulgaria (2007-2013)

Based upon SAPARD pilot scheme, but with modified architecture 5 year management agreements Minimum area of 0.5 ha Farmers must be registered Obligatory training, but no whole farm planning Increased number of sub-measures Farmers only compensated for activities going beyond the baseline obligations

And the difficulties continue(1)

Pre-accession AE SAPARD measure started at the very end of SAPARD programme and basically run together with the newly developed RDP 2007 -2013 AE measure Differences in SAPARD and RDP EU legislation caused particular confusion not only among the farmers but also among the implementing bodies Lack of experience in development and implementation of AE schemes led to too many changes in the measure fiches and the implementing legislation

And the difficulties continue(2)

Negligence of nature conservation measures both in the Managing authorities and Paying agencies investment measures are far more easy to develop and implement and are considered as priorities in the new MS Baseline requirements CC +GAEC+ CoGAPs are not applicable when trying to support traditional environmental friendly practices Requirement for registration in IACS not fully applicable if the IACS system is under development - livestock register; changes in the physical blocks

And the difficulties continue(3)

5 year requirement for the AE commitment is this for the same area (physical terms) or it implies only for the number of ha? Do the farmers have to present 5 years contacts for the land or not 5 years contracts in the existing land fragmentation are almost impossible (when this requirement was removed the applications in terms of ha for OF almost doubled) Ineligible area for SAPS but important for nature conservation measures how to include it and how to motivate the farmers to maintain it. Also grasslands important for nature conservation but not eligible according to the EU definition for the good agricultural condition. And what about common pastures?

Tha nk you !