From Farm to Fork Strategy is at the heart of the European Green Deal – the new growth strategy of the EU and a key to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From Farm to Fork Strategy is designed for building a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system with an integrated food safety policy in the Union. Current paper presents some of the strategic accents of the main European documents and initiatives concerning future sustainable agri-food systems in the context of human health and well-being through the ecological, economic and social aspects of sustainability. Special attention is also paid to how the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will contribute to the EU Green Deal, food quality and safety, and sustainable development as a whole. Particular examples are presented showing the support to the agriculture and food sectors amid Coronavirus and rural responses to the COVID-19 crisis as collected by the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD). Good practices from Bulgaria are also analyzed regarding the initiatives of promoting local food through farmers’ markets and online platforms and new challenges and best solutions. Conclusions focus on the general measures and actions for the effective transition to a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly agri-food system.
The current study discusses the role and the importance of alternative food networks, farmers’ markets in particular, for sustainable rural development through the example of Bulgaria. Farmers’ markets are considered as a sustainable business model of networking which encourages production and consumption of local food of healthy origin adhering to high standards for quality and safety, building society and trust and encouraging development of rural regions. The case of Bulgaria is scrutinized in the context of the support for local food and short supply chains anticipated under the national rural development programme for the period 2014–2020 and the current state-of-art and capacities of available farmers’ markets. Some good practices are analyzed and presented establishing a new type of relationships between producers and consumers of farm products proving that farmers’ markets could be efficient incubators of local businesses and new relationships with end-users. Conclusions are made on nature, objectives and functioning of farmers’ markets, challenges and problems in their promotion, support and encouragement.
In recent years Destination Management and Marketing Organization (DMMOs) became a mainstream factor in identifying successful development of a destination and its perspectives for better position in highly competitive tourism markets. They are not only representing a specific destination but are also striving to community development that bring long-term benefits such as attracting more visitors, increasing the economic gains, facilitating future marketing and product development decisions, and generally contributing to regional development through improving community relations and partnership. The paper discusses the roles of the DMMOs in destination management and their structure in relation to regional development. The destination mix elements of Plovdiv and the region and networking realities are presented. Plovdiv is rapidly establishing itself as a tourism destination in Europe and is working hard to strengthen the links between all tourism stakeholders directly or indirectly connected to the destination management. The city's destination management is analysed based on certain activities of organizations involved in tourism development and some recommendations are given.
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