By applying the Recovery and Resilience Plan we will provide the farmers with new opportunities for additional grant support for digital technology investments and greener investments in their farms. This is what Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Tanya Georgieva said during the opening of the Forum ESG and the Agricultural Sector in Bulgaria. A challenge or an opportunity?, organised by 24 Hours Newspaper and the United Bulgarian Bank, in the city of Sofia.
The Deputy Minister pointed out that, the main question we – the governmental bodies, as well as the farmers, should ask is related to the aims of the UN concerning sustainable development, and what the means are for reaching sustainable development of the Bulgarian production, and simultaneously observe high quality ecological standards, ensuring fair added value, and incomes along the whole chain of value. “It is important to know the ways to communicate both the challenges and the opportunities, which the agri-food chain could extract from that transformation. We need to strive for transparency and traceability of the products that our users consume, as well as the option to choose those products and services in the Agricultural Sector that clear information is provided for, as well as what standards to they comply with, and whether any care for the environment, the employees, the workers was taken, as well as the method of management of the production itself”, Deputy Minister Tanya Georgieva clarified. She also added that, in that context, it is very important the close collaboration and partnership between the various participants in the chain, be it financial institutions, technology companies, or science, as well as any knowledge related to awareness of farmers and entrepreneurs. “What is to be emphasised is that, aside from the many commitments, requirements, which are a new challenge for the agri-food sector, a lot of data will be gathered and processed, decision already taken will need to be defined not only in terms of production, but for the financial institutions as well, the latter being responsible for lending funds for particular investment projects”, Deputy Minister Georgieva explained.
As a conclusion, she pointed out that the Strategic Plan for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas, interventions have been provided for, and that enough additional building tools are present, which will serve as supporting instruments for the farmers in the transformation, as well as for the implementation of innovations.