Model biofarm Topolovo - turning organic animal waste into fertiliser
The model biofarm is located on the land of Topolovo village, Madjarovo municipality, Haskovo region. It has been certified since 2008 and is used for demonstrations of organic farming practices and training in organic farming. It played a key role in the "New Thracian Gold" project, implemented by the Dutch Foundations Ark and Avalon, aimed to support the Eastern Rhodope region of Bulgaria by combining organic farming, natural grazing and ecotourism.
The resource saving and circular methods applied in biofarm concerns organic crop growing, including no use chemical Plant Protection Products (PPPs) and mineral fertilizers to nourish the soil, no use of GMOs, improves soil fertility with composted manure and legumes, recycles organic waste, maintains a greater diversity of plant species and varieties providing for plants' protection from disease and insect attacks (nests of natural enemies of the pests e.g. ladybugs, lacewings, predatory mites), use of resistant varieties are used to prevent disease and compete with weeds.
It is combined with organic animal husbandry, including feding with own certified forrage, recycling the animal manure through compositing with California worms and apply these in organic horticulture to obtain sustainable yields. The animals are fed on natural pastures providing expression of their natural behavior, stress is minimal and meat and milk quality is higher. The farmer raises rare local breeds such as Krakachan sheep and Rhodopi shorthorn cattle to preserve regional genetic diversity. The breeds are resistant to local agroecological conditions, utilise the natural meadows and the residual biomass from hay and straw, produce milk and meat for stable income and provide manure for fertilisation.
MAINSTREAMing small-scale BIO-based solutions across rural Europe via regional Multi-actor Innovation Platforms and tailored innovation support
Completed | 2022-2025
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Bulgaria, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Greece, Belgium