Abstract
This paper analyzes evolution and efficiency of water governance in Bulgarian agriculture during post-communist transition and EU integration. First, it defines the water governance and the scope of analysis. Next, it presents the process of transformation of agricultural water governance embracing all mechanisms and modes including institutional environment, market, private, public, and hybrid. Third, it assesses impacts of newly evolved system of governance on efficiency and sustainability. Finally, it suggests recommendations for improvement of public policies.
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Notes
- 1.
While market prices could coordinate well relations between water suppliers and users, regulation of relations of water polluters and users require a special private or public order.
- 2.
Until 1989 farming was carried by small number of large public farms averaging thousands of ha and livestock. By 1995 almost 1,8 million new farms appeared most of them being small-scale and (semi) subsistent. Since 1995 unregistered farms and cooperative decreased 75% and 52% while agri-firms increased 2,4 times. Currently 1,4% of farms manage 68% of farmland.
- 3.
organizations under privatization, liquidation or reorganization; small part-time and subsistence farms; production cooperatives; huge agri-firms based on short-term lease contracts.
- 4.
due to mismanagement SAPARD was suspended by EC (2008) and considerable funding lost.
- 5.
For Preservation of environment; Development of water sector; Combating climate change; Management of lands and fights against desertification; Agrarian and rural development etc.
- 6.
Environmental measures account for 27% of the overall budget of NPARD (MAF).
- 7.
In NPARD are opened 6 out of 24 measures. Target achievement for support to unfavorable regions is good, but for agri-environmental payment it is only 6% and the rest none (MAF).
- 8.
e.g. around 16% of all farms receive area based payments and 13% get national top-ups (MAF).
- 9.
E.g. due to organizational and financial reasons implementation of EU water monitoring programs is delayed as EEA gets no water information from Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
- 10.
- 11.
Over-intensification of production, intensive and inefficient water use, chemical contamination of soils and waters, livestock and manure concentration, uncontrolled erosion [1].
- 12.
Potatoes 33%, wheat 50%, corn and burley 60%, tomatoes, Alfalfa hay and table grape 75%, apples 94%, pig meat 82%, cattle meat 77%, sheep and goat meat 72%, poultry meat 51%, cow milk 45%, sheep milk 66%, buffalo milk 59%, wool 85%, eggs 45%, honey 57% (NSI).
- 13.
The main sources of water supply in the sector are large dams and rivers. Ground water is a supplementary source while utilization of sludge from purified waste waters in insignificant. Irrigation water accounts for the major share in total agricultural water use (74%).
- 14.
Depending on year’s humidity territory accumulates 9–24 billion m3 water (EEA). In 2006 total water withdrawal was 6559054 out of which 92.8% surface and 7.2% ground water. Since 1990 Water Exploitation Index decline considerably from 55% (2d in Europe) to 33%.
- 15.
Soil losses range from 8 t/year for permanent crops to 48 t/year for arable lands (EEA).
- 16.
Temperature increases, rains quantity decreases, and more extreme events occurs (EEA). By 2030 water availability on more than 50% of the territory will decrease 5–10%, a severe water stress is projected for South-Eastern parts and a medium in some other places.
- 17.
There are still 333 abandoned storehouses in 324 locations for 2,050 t pesticides (EEA).
- 18.
Agricultural and water research has been severely underfunded for the last 20 years.
References
Bachev H (2010) Governance of Agrarian sustainability. Nova Science, New York
Alexandrov V (2008) Adaptation of irrigation under climate change in Bulgaria. www.adagioeu.org/documents/meeting_jois/21_V_Alexandrov_bulgarian_irrigation_adaptation.pdf
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Bachev, H. (2011). Water Governance in Bulgarian Agriculture. In: Baba, A., Tayfur, G., Gündüz, O., Howard, K., Friedel, M., Chambel, A. (eds) Climate Change and its Effects on Water Resources. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1143-3_24
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1143-3_24
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