CREATION OF A NETWORK FOR APPLICATION OF A MULTI- DISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN BULGARIA AND ROMANIA 1 ST MEETING Rousse May 2008 R.A. I degree Dr. Atanas Zdravkov Atanasov Institute of Agriculture and Seed Science “Obraztsov Chiflik”- Rousse

INTRODUCTION The project is part of the bilateral projects program at Ministry of Education and Science in Bulgaria and Romania. The project started at 23 January 2008 and will end at 23 January The participating countries are the following:  Institute of Agriculture and Seed Sciences “Obraztsov Chiflik” – Rousse- Bulgaria  University of Rousse – “Angel Kunchev”- Bulgaria  Institute of Food Bioresources – Bucharest - Romania

OBJECTIVES The mine aim of this project is to enhance the access, participation, and integration of two new members countries Bulgaria and Romania in a common research Bio Farming network (BFN). The overall objective of the BFN is through modern information and communication technologies to organize the users into different professional groups in a creative and productive consortium for applying of multi-disciplinary approach to stable development and management of the organic agriculture in the region.

RESEARCH PLAN Collecting information about the methods, tools, and technologies used in educational, research, consultative, and practical organizations from the partner countries in the area of the organic agriculture. Preparing an on-line questionnaire with the profiles of the members from the partner countries to extend this database with the human resources involved in the organic agriculture; Creating a trilingual (Bulgarian-Romanian-English) terminological dictionary and e-library in the organic agriculture. Uploading this initial database on the BFN server. Organizing management meetings together with training workshops on a rotation principle starting from Bulgaria. Uploading an intelligent multimedia environment of tools for basic knowledge testing of all professional groups involved in OA. Conducting a virtual round table;

RESEARCH PLAN Uploading an intelligent multimedia environment of tools for training in dynamic systems for the needs of the researchers and organic farmers. Conducting a virtual round table; Uploading and using WINDOWS-based applications for management and marketing in OF. Conducting a virtual round table; Developing WINDOWS-based applications for technological management of manual and mechanical processes in OF and its uploading on the BF network server. Conducting a virtual round table; Development of a electronic market with common database and a set of information and communication services for the consumers, producers, and manufacturers for kind and quantity of the supplied and demanded products;

RESEARCH PLAN Specifying a bottom-up research methodology for stable development and management of the OF in the Bulgaria and Romania and publishing it and other current project results. Examination requirements for certification of organic herbs in partner countries; Marketing study regarding organic herbs and aromatic plants; Tests (analysis of organic herbs); Monitoring of the chain of organic herbs and aromatic plants; Dissemination activities due to the participation at different conferences Organization of an international conference on the problems in the OA together with the final project meeting in Bulgaria.

EXPECTING RESULTS  Creation of a trilingual network of institutions and members involved the organic agriculture, with questionnaire, dictionary, library, and knowledge base on the BFN server.  Specifying a bottom-up methodology for stable development and management of the organic farms in Bulgaria and Romania.  Application on web-based an intelligent multimedia environments, and WINDOWS-based tasks developed of the scientific group for knowledge testing, improvement of knowledge base, practical skills, and skills for decision making of different professional groups.  Developing an WINDOWS-based application for technological management of manual and mechanical processes in organic farms.

EXPECTING RESULTS  Creation of an electronic market.  Preparing of collaborative scientific publications in specialized international journals and reports on the specialized international conferences.  Organization of annual an international conference on the problems in the organic agriculture.

ACTION FOR FIRST YEAR Preparatory phase for creating the bio-farm network (BFN) Establishing the consortium structure and strategy. Collecting information from the partner countries. Creating the profiles of the members. Preparing a trilinguall terminological dictionary and e-library. Uploading this initial database on the BF network. Project meeting in Bulgaria. Developing a Quality Assurance System for BFN. Analysis of the methods and tools for knowledge testing. Conducting a virtual round table. Analysis of the methods for teaching basic knowledge Conducting a virtual round table. Analysis of the methods for acquiring the practical skills. Conducting a virtual round table. Analysis of the methods for decision making. Project meeting in Romania.

ACTION FOR SECOND YEAR Training for a multi-disciplinary approach to design. Training for a multi-disciplinary approach management. Creating an electronic market of the BF production. Management meeting in Bulgaria with training activities. Management meeting in Romania with training activities. Development, implementation, experimentation of programs. Management meeting in Bulgaria with applications activities. Management meeting in Romania with applications activities. Evaluating and disseminating project results. Evaluation the current results at the end of each project activity Evaluation the final results of the project. Statistical processing and analysis of the training results. Organizing an international conferences on the problems in OA Periodical publishing the achieved results. Preparing the final report of the project. Planning the future activities of consortium. Organizing the final project meeting in Bulgaria.