New Programme, new objectives or what different to expect with the new Rural Development Programme 2014-2020

It makes impression that despite almost 99% “absorption” of the funds according to the report of the Managing Authority for the finished period 2007-2013 of the RDP, inexplicably there is no reason for pride. The achievement of none of the set objectives in the previous programme is apparent.
It is a fact that currently we are almost at the middle of the programme period and our RDP 2014-2020 has just started. However, the document already adopted for implementation sets brave new priorities for:
• support and increase of the competitiveness of the Bulgarian agricultural farms;
• the organic production with a budget of 5 fold greater than in the previous programme. A measure for organic livestock breeding will be implemented for the first time.
• a measure for support of traditional sorts and plant species, such as the lavender and oil-producing rose.
• small farms – for the first time they are a priority and there is a separate submeasure for them. Its budget is increased from 80 to 110 million euro.

While implementing the RDP 2014-2020 the main efforts of not only the Managing authority, but also of the whole sector, however, are focused exclusively on absorption of funds. Since the moment when the payments and contracting under the new programme period started, the most important word is “WE GRANT” and “WE ABSORBED”. We grant 1, 2, 3 million for agroecological measures, for nectariferous cultures, for livestock breeding, for vegetable growing, for 4.1, 6.1…And so what? And so what, when our agriculture again has frozen at the levels of the 50-60ies of 20th century. Our rural areas are in even more unfavourable condition as of the end of 19th century. The statistics of depopulation of villages continues. Logically the question “Why?” comes. In order to boast that 5 558 farmers cultivate 79% of the cornfields in Bulgaria. In order to be able to say when it comes for modernization of agriculture that such exists, but only for a certain somebody. And when we talk about agroecology, again it will be about the same somebody, if we speak about innovations and collective investments – again.

That’s right, in the new programme there are new objectives and new priorities. But it seems as if they are again meant for the same 5 558 farmers. It will not be too far-fetched if we say that we ask with fear “Have we really a new programme and to what will it lead?” What new do we notice in the new RDP 2014-2020?
1. The start of the most important measures for the 5 558 farmers, namely 4.1 и 4.2;
2. Short deadlines for discussion of the draft ordinances and copying of a large part of them from the old ones.
3. Slow processing of the submitted projects;
4. Creating of extremely heavy and cumbersome criteria for ranking of the evaluated projects, often unclearly formulated, allowing subjectivity of the assessments;
5. Postponement and delay of sectors and measures that are important for the sensitive and priority branches (Agroecology, Community led local development, Thematic subprogramme, Livestock breeding, Fruit growing and Vegetable growing). The lack of concreteness and priority in the branches in question is at place.
6. Lack of priority in funding of public measures designed for investments in the small towns and villages, as well as criteria for efficiency, effectiveness and expedience.
7. Lack of capacity for differentiation of real from artificially created projects and applicants as a great part of the problem is due to the lack of representative branch organizations – a problem on which we from “Green laws” work – see http://www.zelenizakoni.com/novini/koy-predstavlyava-blgarskite-zemedelski-proizvoditeli ;
8. Insufficient capacity for evaluation and prioritization of effective and efficient projects, which is necessary for upgrading and funding of prospective projects.

And why is it so? The answer lies in the set objective – “Absorption”! The look towards the implementation of the Rural Development Programme so far strengthens the feeling for insufficiency or the lack of clear state vision for what exactly we want to do with the Bulgarian village and the economic life in it.

You can read the complete analysis of Magurdich Huliyan on the website of the initiative “Green laws”.