Development of Environmentally Friendly Cultures in Giurgiu and Ruse Counties - ROBG00132
What is the purpose?
Specific Objective: 2.7 - Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution
General objective is the joint promotion and development of niche crops on small areas and related ecosystems services, such as lavender, berries, sea buckthorn up to 1 ha in Giurgiu and Ruse County. The project will contribute to the INTERREG VIA Ro-Bg program's objective of protecting nature and biodiversity. At the end of the project, there will be increased the number of niche crops in the region.
The project will tackle new, very limited fields until the current call for proposals: biodiversity and green infrastructure and will provide pilot actions in the above-mentioned areas. Also, there will be put together pubic administration, NGO s and actors from the local labor markets (local agricultural workers to reduce migration).
What is the budget?
666.024,35 €, from which 532.819,47 € FEDR and 133.204,88 € National Contribution
Who implements the project?
Lead partner (LP): EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION REGIONAL URBAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER SOUTH MUNTENIA REGION
Partner 2 (P2): Municipality Slivo Pole, Bulgaria
Partner 3 (P3): Udriste Nasturel HIGH SCHOOL, Romania
What is the implementation period?
Start date: 2024-12-20
End Date: 2026-06-19
Period: 18 months
Where it is implemented?
Giurgiu county (Romania) and Ruse district (Bulgaria)
What will happen?
According to the Approved Application Form,the project’s objectives will be reached through the following activities:
WP 1 Analyze niche crops, develop a strategy for eco-friendly cultures & related ecosystem services
- 1.1-Field surveys, data collection, analysis and report creation;
- 1.2-Stakeholder workshops for iniatial feedback & Drafting strategy;
- 1.3-Stakeholder workshops for feedback;
- 1.4-Dissemination&Promotion: Disseminate to relevant stakeholders.Develop a communication plan.Create a list of interested stake-holders. Create the message and disseminate it to the target audience;
WP 2 - Establishment of a pilot-action niche crops ecosystem-ECOCROPS
- Activity 2.1 Selection and acquisition of equipment and and works necessary for the establishment of pilot-crop ecosystem;
- Activity 2.2 Test technology and cultivation: Plant the selected crops. Monitoring and feedback loop, Regularly monitor crop growth, health, and environmental impact;
- Activity 2.3 Documentation of pilot project findings: Record the successes and challenges faced during the pilot project for future reference and scaling;
- Activity 2.4 Communication Objective 2: Promote the pilot research results to farmers and potential entrepreneurs;
WP 3 - Promote eco-friendly cultures & Developing local eco-brands
- Activity 3.1 Organize local events to educate the community about eco-friendly practices and the new eco-brands. Online campaign and media outreach: Utilize social media platforms and local news outlets;
- Activity 3.2 Brand design and strategy: Collaborate with local farmers and public stake-holders to design unique eco-brands and develop a marketing strategy for them and for ecosystem services related to it;
- Activity 3.3 Partnerships and collaborations: Foster partnerships with local businesses, NGOs, and governmental bodies to support and promote the eco-brands and sustainable farming initiatives;
What will be the results (what is the contribution to the program)?
- PSO3 - Tools implemented for mitigating pollution: 1
- RCO84 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects: 4
- RCO87 - Organizations cooperating across borders: 3
- RCO36 - Green infrastructure supported for other purposes than adaptation to climate change: 1 ha
- PSR3 - Population living within the area covered by the tools implemented for mitigating pollution: 5,000
- RCR104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations: 1
- RCR84 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion: 3
- RCR95 - Population having access to new or improved green infrastructure: 300
Status
The project is currently under implementation. The following activities have been implemented and the following results have been achieved:
- Project coordination successfully established: The Lead Partner set up the full management structure and hosted the first Steering Group meeting with all partners.
- The Lead Partner launched and finalized three direct award procedures. Contracts were signed for:
- Field surveys, data collection, and reporting (Activity A.1.1)
- Drafting the strategy for Giurgiu County (Activity A.1.2)
- Communication and dissemination services (Activity A.1.4)
- Based on the signed contracts, over 25 agricultural sites in Giurgiu County were surveyed, and 35 local farmers were interviewed. The data collected — on soil quality, biodiversity, and crop potential — is feeding into the Comprehensive Analytical Report on niche crops. In parallel, Slivo Pole Municipality (PP2) launched procurement for similar research activities in the Ruse region.
- Over 60 participants attended two stakeholder workshops in Giurgiu. Udriste Nasturel High School (PP3) started planning future educational events and identified local groups for community-based activities.
- The initial Niche Crop Strategy was drafted and validated through six stakeholder meetings (three in Romania and three in Bulgaria). These events gathered farmers, authorities, and research representatives to confirm the strategy’s practical relevance and feasibility;
- Both the Lead Partner and PP3 contributed to the creation of a preliminary Map of Lands and Stakeholders in the cross-border area, which will serve as a key reference for upcoming pilot activities under WP2;
- Partners implemented a coordinated communication campaign, including a detailed Communication Plan, social media outreach (over 200,000 unique visitors), targeted email campaigns (3,000+ stakeholders reached), and the production of 500 brochures and 1,000 leaflets. A dedicated section on the web platform and six local workshops increased awareness and engagement among farmers and communities;
- Specialised equipment was procured to strengthen technical capacity. The Lead Partner purchased a Thermo-vision Camera and a Monitoring Drone for crop observation and biodiversity monitoring. At the same time, PP2 initiated acquisitions under WP2 — including a Professional Robot Mower and a Borehole for Water Intake — to support the establishment of the Pilot Niche Crop Ecosystem – ECOCROPS.