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BRUSSELS – Bulgarian Blagovesta Vasileva is among the finalists for the European Union (EU) Organic Awards for 2024. In the category “Best Organic Farmer (Female)” she will compete with Caroline Devillers from Belgium and Rheinhild Fresh-Emmelmann from Austria. Since the awards launched in 2022, a Bulgarian has not been honored yet.
The awards are for innovative and sustainable projects that add value to organic production and consumption, reported the European Commission (EC). The names of the finalists, who will compete for eight awards in seven categories, were announced earlier this week, and the winners will be presented at the official ceremony in Brussels on September 23, as part of a series of events and activities marking the annual EU Organic Day.
The awards are jointly organized by the EC, the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Committee of the Regions, “Copa-Cogeca,” and IFOAM Organics Europe. The winners are determined by a jury. The EU Organic Awards were launched as a commitment under the Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production.
In 2021, the EC adopted an action plan to support increasing the demand and supply of organic food products and enhancing the sustainability of organic production in line with the “Farm to Fork” strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy. In the document, the EC sets a goal for the growth of organic land, assuming that by 2030 at least 25% of the European Union’s agricultural land should be cultivated according to organic farming rules.
At the beginning of July, the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food’s website published for public consultation a draft National Plan for the Development of Organic Production up to 2030 in implementation of the European plan. (July 19)