Project Acronym: ORGFARM “ORGANIC FARMING – A CHALLENGE, OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR NATURE” O R G F A R M Regional Agribusiness Regional Agribusiness centre- V I d I n centre- V I d I n

Duration: 25/10/2011 – 24/10/ 2012 Total budget: € , 68 € , 68 O R G F A R M

Partnership : Partnership : LP/PP1: LP/PP1: Regional agribusiness centre /RABC/– Vidin Regional agribusiness centre /RABC/– Vidin PP2 : PP2 : Agro-project Timok – Zajecar Agro-project Timok – Zajecar PP3: PP3: Alliance for Regional and Civil Initiatives (ARCI) Alliance for Regional and Civil Initiatives (ARCI)

Partnership: Сountri euro LPRABC-VIDINBulgaria45612, 21 PP2 Agro-project Timok – Zajecar Serbia23021,05 PP3ARCIBulgaria25168,42 Regional agribusiness centre - Vidin

During the project implementation will be exchanged good envrionmentaly frendly practises and experience between the agricultural producers. The basis for a sustainable economic development will be created by introducing innovative practices as organic farming and methods for wise exploitation of the natural resources of the region. During the project implementation will be exchanged good envrionmentaly frendly practises and experience between the agricultural producers. The basis for a sustainable economic development will be created by introducing innovative practices as organic farming and methods for wise exploitation of the natural resources of the region. The enhancement of the local farmers to develop more environmental friendly agriculture and entrepreneurship may impact the local strategy for development of the cross border region, including more measures for serving the needs of the local entrepreneurs/investors and educating the consumers. The enhancement of the local farmers to develop more environmental friendly agriculture and entrepreneurship may impact the local strategy for development of the cross border region, including more measures for serving the needs of the local entrepreneurs/investors and educating the consumers.

The following results are expected to be achieved: Enhanced cross border networking among the agricultural producers Improved capacity of the agricultural producers in the border area Raised awareness on the topic of organic agriculture and its potential Improved information flow among the agricultural producers Improved economic situation of the agricultural producers.

Project objectives : The overall objectives of the project are: - -To enhance the cohesion across the border, mainly through sustainable innovative practices and educational co-operation related activities. - To enhance the entrepreneurship and the development of joint Bulgarian- Serbian SMEs in the field of organic agriculture. - The specific objective is to improve the micro economical climate through enhancing the development of organic agriculture as a sustainable and fast- growing sector in the EU economy.

The project meets the needs of the target group as they were analyzed from the following characteristics: hard and lasting consequences of the slow processes of restructuring the economies of the two countries; insufficiently developed business relations between the companies and the business supporting organizations; low proportion of use of the mechanisms for rural region development as main element of the Common Agrarian Policy of the EU, including the low proportion of use of the opportunities, provided by the pre-accession funds due to the insufficient knowledge about them;

low level of development of the small and medium-sized agricultural producers, generating hardly 8.8 % of the gross added value of the sector for Bulgaria and 9,2.% for Serbia; Lack of general awareness of organic agriculture and production due to lack of access to relevant information about production methods and markets information.

Project activities : - Preparation of project implementation - Needs assessment - Preparation and edition of a manual for organic farmers - Raising awareness among the cross-border communities about the potential of the organic farming - Organisation of 4 one-day out-door training seminars on the topic of organic agriculture - Establishment of Euro Agro Club “Good neighbourhood” - Elaboration of a general on-line data base for the agricultural producers in the small rural and family farms from the regions of Vidin and Zaječar - Promotion of the results of the project

The project methodology is related to the necessity of developing the cross-border regional environment of the territory of the region of Vidin, the establishment of longterm relations between the neighbour border regions in Bulgaria and Serbia and the mutual acquaintance of the people, living there. It is based on the active participation of the local citizens and business structures for promoting and modernizing the agriculture in the region of Vidin, based on the specific of the territorial structure and the traditional cultural relations of the population. The project methodology is related to the necessity of developing the cross-border regional environment of the territory of the region of Vidin, the establishment of longterm relations between the neighbour border regions in Bulgaria and Serbia and the mutual acquaintance of the people, living there. It is based on the active participation of the local citizens and business structures for promoting and modernizing the agriculture in the region of Vidin, based on the specific of the territorial structure and the traditional cultural relations of the population.