Paradigms of Bulgarian Agriculture and the Development of Mountain Regions

Veselin BOYADZHIEV1
1“St. Kliment Ohridski” University, Faculty of Geology and Geography, Sofia, BULGARIA
E-mail: v.boiadjiev@abv.bg
Pages: 305-308

Abstract. The first agricultural paradigm was preproductivistic. Mountainous areas developed dairy farming, wool, meat, and skins production. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries transition started from preproductivistic/before-productivistic/ to productivistic paradigm. Mountain farming began to lag behind. After World War I, Bulgarian agriculture created three types of farming: low land/intensive, market-oriented/hilly/mixture of traditional technologies and products, and new products oriented market/and mountain agriculture. Socialism did not change the agrarian paradigm. Agriculture remained a major source of income for urbanization and industrialization. Bulgaria was the most southern part of the socialist camp and Bulgarian agriculture had great geographical advantages. Regional policy was oriented to central locations in lowlands. The mountains represented the demographic and economic periphery. After the communist period, agriculture remained under productivism. Traditional agricultural exports declined and imports increased. With EU accession, Bulgarian agriculture had a shock. Contemporary agriculture in developed EC-countries was in transition from productivism to postproductivism and multifunctional agriculture. Bulgarian agriculture was a step backwards. It can not overcome the productivistic stage now. Agricultural subsidies are insufficient, especially for mountainous areas. The Program for rural areas remains the agricultural program. Crafts, rural and agrarian tourism are at the beginning. Rural mountainous areas need a real cohesion policy.

K e y w o r d s:  Bulgarian agriculture, paradigm, productivism, mountain region