<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> The paper examines the development of organic farming in Bulgaria through the viewpoint of its links to circular economy concept and its potential to contribute to sustainable rural development. The significant increase in the number of organic operators and areas is analyzed in the context of stable growth in the European sector and worldwide and the increase in consumer demand. Main indicators reported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Bulgaria and the support provided by the National Rural Development Program are used to present the characteristics of organic production and agricultural holdings. The advantages of Bulgaria are underlined as a country offering the necessary conditions, along with the main problems in production and marketing. Recommendations are provided for organic sector encouragement as a sustainable business model and an entrepreneurial initiative for sustainable rural development putting a special accent on networking and capacity building activities in connection to potential solutions and policy development.</p></abstract>

The paper examines the development of organic farming in Bulgaria through the viewpoint of its links to circular economy concept and its potential to contribute to sustainable rural development. The significant increase in the number of organic operators and areas is analyzed in the context of stable growth in the European sector and worldwide and the increase in consumer demand. Main indicators reported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Bulgaria and the support provided by the National Rural Development Program are used to present the characteristics of organic production and agricultural holdings. The advantages of Bulgaria are underlined as a country offering the necessary conditions, along with the main problems in production and marketing. Recommendations are provided for organic sector encouragement as a sustainable business model and an entrepreneurial initiative for sustainable rural development putting a special accent on networking and capacity building activities in connection to potential solutions and policy development.

Trends in Organic Farming Development in Bulgaria: Applying Circular Economy Principles to Sustainable Rural Development

Visegrad Journal on Bioeconomy and Sustainable Development

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The paper examines the development of organic farming in Bulgaria through the viewpoint of its links to circular economy concept and its potential to...

Trends in Organic Farming Development in Bulgaria: Applying Circular Economy Principles to Sustainable Rural Development

Published Online: Jun 23, 2017

Page range: 10 - 16

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/vjbsd-2017-0002

Keywords
organic agriculture, circular economy, sustainable development

© Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Trends in Organic Farming Development in Bulgaria: Applying Circular Economy Principles to Sustainable Rural Development

Published Online: Jun 23, 2017

Page range: 10 - 16

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/vjbsd-2017-0002

Keywordsorganic agriculture, circular economy, sustainable development

© Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
organic agriculture, circular economy, sustainable development