National responses

Soil damage results from unsustainable and environmentally-harmful production practices in all economic sectors. To prevent such practices, it is necessary to implement a long-term policy, have an appropriate legislative base and significant financial backing.

Measures governing the conservation of soil function and sustainable use of soils have been established in the Soils Act. Long-term policy on soil conservation and sustainable use is set out in the National Action Programme for the Sustainable Management of Soil and the Prevention of Desertification which combines the efforts of central and local government, the public, farmers, manufacturers, researchers and non-governmental organisations (http://www.moew.government.bg, http://www.unccd-slm.org).

The National Development Programme for Rural Regions 2007-2013 introduced a set of subsidies and compensatory measures for the conservation of soils. The emphasis of the Programme is not on soil use but on the introduction of farming and forestry practices to mitigate negative environmental impact (http://www.mzh.government.bg).

Significant resources is being  allocated to work on preventing subsidence, landslips and overdevelopment. Efforts are focusing on extending urban parkland and stimulating the use or afforestation of unproductive farmland and fallow forest land (http://www.mrrb.government.bg).

Reference sources:

The Environment Executive Agency (ExEA): http://eea.government.bg/eng.

The National Statistics Institute (NSI): http://www.nsi.bg.

The Ministry of the Environment and Waters (MoEW): http://www.moew.government.bg.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food (MoAF): http://www.mzh.government.bg.

The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW): http://www.mrrb.government.bg.