site.btaRegenerative Agriculture Is the Way to Go, Expert Says

The future lies in regenerative agriculture, which is more sparing to the soil, involves less intensive soil preparation and more limited use of fertilizers and other chemicals, Konstantin Haralampiev, co-founder of Agrovar CC OOD, told BTA in an interview. The company offers innovative automation solutions for agronomic processes and full-circle farming technologies.

Haralampiev said that soil can regenerate, but it takes more than one season. The process starts with carrying out an analysis and identifying soil deficits. The approach in each case depends on a set of factors, among them soil type, microclimate zones and crop rotation.

In Bulgaria, 70% of the soil is exhausted, the expert said, adding that the situation in the rest of Europe is not very different. In many areas, this is due to long years of intensive soil preparation and overuse of fertilizers and other chemicals. Soil is a depletable resource, but it can regenerate. Agrovar has adopted a natural approach involving the use of cover crops and organic products instead of mineral fertilizers, and case-specific crop rotation. This kind of care can ensure the best percentage of organic matter in the soil, as high as it was more than 25 years ago.

In working with farmers, the company takes account of how they go about crop rotation. Based on that, the experts recommend what cover crops can be used, what machines are appropriate on which fields, and what kind of soil preparation is necessary. Haralampiev explained that cover crops are sown when none of the main crops are being grown. The role of the cover crops is to improve the structure of the soil and protect it from harsh weather. The method can be described as "green fertilization". For example, Haralampiev said, sinapis and peas are very good cover crops. His company typically uses a mix of plants because it has found that the benefits are multiplied in this way.

This past summer, the company also found that such "bouquets" of cover crops make excellent bee pastures. The choice of a plant mix depends on the soil type and the main crops.

Agrovar helps farmers minimize their expenses but does not advertise higher yields. Bulgarian farmers are beginning to realize that they need to take good care of their soil and to look for information about how to do it, Haralampiev said. Young people, in particular, are becoming increasingly interested in new techniques for sustainable farming.

It is up to each entrepreneur to decide whether to rely on regenerative agriculture, but in the not-so-distant future conventional agriculture will become inconvenient and too expensive to practice, Haralampiev said. According to him, EU regulations are oriented in this direction. The current EU programming period is a time to foster the proper attitude. After 2030, there will be stricter measures and those who have the wrong attitude and lack the necessary technology will not cope, the expert warned.

Haralampiev was in Varna to mentor to a team of young people with innovative ideas during a hackathon organized by the Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in collaboration with the local University of Economics. The competition, called EIT Food Challenge Lab 2023 Bulgaria, was aimed to support young entrepreneurs in developing their ideas about new products, services and technological solutions to address real challenges in the agrifood sector.