Modernisation and implementation of modern technology and equipment are the way to overcome the majority of the issues and increasing the appeal of Agriculture. Good income perspective and development is a prospective reason for keeping Young People”, this is what Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Farming Aleksandar Iotsev stated during the 9th Peace and Agriculture European Annual Conference, which was carried out in Modra, Slovakia. “Encouraging study and engagement of young farmers on the matters of scientific research and innovation development in Agriculture is a strong motivational key in the process of updating the generations and the successful inclusion of young people therein”.
“Manufacturing results of the farms are directly related to education and qualification of the persons employed therein and this reflects on the vitality and competitiveness thereof”, Deputy Minister Iotsev emphasised, and added that continuous of knowledge and qualification level of all farmers, especially the young agricultural owners, is a guarantee for success and should be supported. He stated that, such inclusion not only makes farming more appealing for the young people, it also strengthens the connection between science and practice and contributes to accelerated and long-term development and implementation of new resistant varieties, breeds, technology solutions.
Development of joint projects through the System for Knowledge and Innovations in Agriculture through platform, combining the process of training, consultancy services, transfer of knowledge, implementation of precise agriculture, digital improvement, and cooperation with the agricultural science, was shared as a good example of the Bulgarian practice for exchange and creation of successful solutions in the primary production and realisation of production. Deputy Minister Iotsev informed his colleagues from the remaining countries, who attended the Forum, on the recognised coordination network at the time of project design and joint agricultural initiatives, which was created by the National Association of Young Farmers in Bulgaria.
The Deputy Minister stated that, the Bulgarian Strategic Plan for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas foresees the development of an Interactive Online Information Platform for this program period, whereas the Platform will serve as a unified source of information for farmers at national and regional levels.
The Peace and Agriculture European Annual Conference started in 2012 with the Bread of Peace Initiative concerning support of relationship between preserving peace and sustainable agriculture and food security. Twelve Member States of the EU and Central and South Eastern Europe are participants in the project, this year Ukraine was invited too. Each year, emblematic places are chosen in each country, where rye seeds are planted, whereas from the production collected, the shared European Bread of Peace is made. The Host Jozef Bíreš, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, conveyed the Bread of Peace to the Secretary of State of Food and Agriculture of the Federal Republic of Germany, Claudia Müller.