“The New Thracian Gold" Gives Free Advices to Organic Farmers of AGRA
2011
Plovdiv, March 9, 2011
Organic food from the Eastern Rhodopes and the tourist map of this region, the most
new product of “The New Thracian Gold” project, will be exposed at the stand of the today starting in
Plovdiv AGRA 2011 (March 9 -13). "The New Thracian Gold" (NTG) participates for a second time in
the traditional International Agricultural Exhibition AGRA.
The representative of the project, Ass. Prof. Vladislav Popov, will provide every day (14
- 16 pm) free advices to current and future organic farmers at the stand of "The New Thracian
gold", which is shared with close organizations in Pavilion 3 of the Conference center. Besides organic
food products from the Eastern Rhodopes as honey, herbs and tahini the stand will expose also
organic farming guide, information on the NTG project, on the demonstration farm in the village of
Topolova (Madzharovo municipality).
Ass. Prof. Vladislav Popov, coordinator on organic farming in The New Thracian “Gold
" is going to deliver a presentation on the project and its achievements on March 10, Day of
Organic Farming within the Conference on organic farming.
"The New Thracian Gold" supports organic farmers from the Eastern Rhodopes
financially and through training. As part of the project, two organic farmers in Madjarovo have
received financial support to adjust crop and animal husbandry to required organic standards and to
create conditions for knowledge transfer to other organic farmers through training and demonstration.
One of the two now has a model farm in the village of Topolovo with more than 34 ha organic
cultivation wich serves for demonstration of best organic practices and as a training center. Open
Day of the orgainic farming in the Eastern Rhodopes was organized there in 2010 and the plan is to
have such a day the next three years. In addition, more than 160 farmers have participated in
information days (five days in five Eastern Rhodopes municipalities) and in seven trainings on
organic crop production, bee-keeping, animal husbandry, production of herbs and plant protection.
Three manuals have been produced setting out the basic principles and practices of organic
agriculture, organic herbs production and plan protection with natural means in the Eastern Rhodopes.
Within the NTG project 34 organic farmers have applied for financial support within the Rural
Development Operational Programme.
According to the project team Eastern Rhodopes have a huge potential for the organic
farming, which may become an alternative to the declining economic activities such as tobacc
growing. The team strongly believes that the development of organic farming, combined with the other
two components of “The New Thracian Gold "- ecotourism and biodiversity, will create a new
sustainable mean of livelihood and turn the Eastern Rhodopes into an attractive place - both for living
and tourism.
More about the “New Thracian Gold” project:
“The New Thracian gold" is a five-year project (2009-2014) for the sustainable development of the
Eastern Rhodopes executed by the Dutch environmental organizations ARK and Avalon, which have extensive
international experience in projects for environmental protection and organic farming. The project is financed by
Dutch Postcode Lottery, the biggest charity lottery in the country, which supports 75 non-governmental
organizations working for a fairer, greener world.
"The New Thracian gold" is the unique project with an integrated approach combining the work on
three components: wildlife, organic farming and ecotourism. According to the project team conserving and
restoring wildlife of the Eastern Rhodopes and the preservation of the typical mosaic landscape with
environmentally friendly grazing can be a basis for developing a new green economy in this region. Eastern
Rhodopes have all the prerequisites to become a center for ecotourism - a stunning nature, huge variety of flora
and fauna, rich cultural heritage. Combined with organic farming it not only provides quality food, but it creates
jobs, raises living standards of local people and reduce the depopulation of the area.
See more on: www.newthraciangold.com
Note for media:
Colleagues,
The presentation of Ass. Prof. Vladislav Popov “The New Thracian Gold "- Partnership of
Organic farming, Ecotourism and Wildlife, which you can attend, is on March 10, Thirsday, 1111,15 pm in Conference hall of Pavilion 3.
Mr. Popov will be available for press questions and interviews.