Stara Zagora: new ideas to improve the local food system
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24 January 2022Stara Zagora Municipality is trying to design new actions in the field of food and agriculture, in order to be more sustainable and to achieve important development goals. In this second next Agri meeting new partners and ideas have been presented and shared experiences and knowledge.
On the 11th and 12th of November 2021, Stara Zagora Municipality hosted an online event linked to the participation of the institution in NEXTAGRI project, aiming to develop innovative agriculture in the region. The event was part of the Second Transnational meetings foreseen by the project, where partners could transfer knowledge and capacity and share them with local stakeholders.
The Next Agri project is accomplished under the Urbact program of the European Commission and includes several European municipalities: Stara Zagora in Bulgaria, Milan in Italy (as a Leading Partner), Vila Nova Di Gaia in Portugal and Almere in the Netherlands.
During the event realized on the 11th and 12th of November, Stara Zagora Municipality presented the local group engaged in the exchange.
The Regional Economic Development Agency, Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Trakia University, representatives of the business and education sectors in the region participated with ideas and comments on the project.
Each of the members presented its expectations from the project, its interest in joining and good examples and practices from previous projects.
The presentation of the city has been done with an inspiring video that highlighted the main features of the city and the territory that surrounds the city.
Of particular interest, has been th presentation of the Regional Economic Development Agency that included and introduction to Bulgarian innovative start-up in the area of agriculture – Pro Drone Sys. The company uses drones to scan agricultural lands from the air and gather precise data which can be used before and during their cultivation.
Another important partner that is involved in the project is Trakia University, cofirmed that it is already developing some activities related to entrepreneurship in the area of agriculture and has substantial experience in research and education in agriculture and livestock breeding. This international meeting is the third one of such type in this project.
This meeting allowed the project participants to discover the Urbact Local Group of Stara Zagora, as well as to summarize the work they’ve done so far.
The project will support cities up to September 2022, when in a final event in Milan, all cities will share good practices and lessons learnt from the Next Agri project.
Click here to know more about Stara Zagora and see the video.
Written by Branimir Genev
Submitted by Cristina Sossan on