Digitalisation of Bulgarian Agriculture and Rural Areas
Hrabrin Bachev
Abstract: Despite its big theoretical and practical importance in Bulgaria there are no comprehensive analysis of the
state and evolution of digitalisation in agriculture and rural areas. The goal of this study is to analyse the state
and development of digitalization in the country and in agrarian sphere in Bulgaria, revile major trends in thatarea, compare the situation with other EU countries, identify main problems, and make recommendation for
improving policies in the next programing period. Analysis has found out that in recent years there is considerable
improvement of the access of Bulgarian households to internet as well as a significant increase in the persons
using internet for relations with public institutions and trading goods and services. Nevertheless, Bulgaria is
quite behind from other EU members in regards to introduction of digital technologies in the economy and
society taking one of the last places in EU in terms of Integral Index for Introduction of Digital Technologies in
the Economy and Society – DESI. There is a great variation on the extent of digitalisation in different subsectors
of agriculture, farms of different juridical type and size, and different regions of the country. Most agricultural
holdings are not aware with the content of digital agriculture as 14% apply modern digital technologies. Major
obstacles for introduction of digital technologies are qualification of employees, amount of required investment,
unclear economic benefits, and data security. Main areas where state administration actions are required
are: support of measures for supplementary training of labour, tax preferences in planning of actions and
digitalisation of activity, stimulation of young specialists, introduction of internationally recognized processes of
standardisation and certification, adaptation of legislation in the area of data protection, and securing reliable
and high speed networks.
state and evolution of digitalisation in agriculture and rural areas. The goal of this study is to analyse the state
and development of digitalization in the country and in agrarian sphere in Bulgaria, revile major trends in thatarea, compare the situation with other EU countries, identify main problems, and make recommendation for
improving policies in the next programing period. Analysis has found out that in recent years there is considerable
improvement of the access of Bulgarian households to internet as well as a significant increase in the persons
using internet for relations with public institutions and trading goods and services. Nevertheless, Bulgaria is
quite behind from other EU members in regards to introduction of digital technologies in the economy and
society taking one of the last places in EU in terms of Integral Index for Introduction of Digital Technologies in
the Economy and Society – DESI. There is a great variation on the extent of digitalisation in different subsectors
of agriculture, farms of different juridical type and size, and different regions of the country. Most agricultural
holdings are not aware with the content of digital agriculture as 14% apply modern digital technologies. Major
obstacles for introduction of digital technologies are qualification of employees, amount of required investment,
unclear economic benefits, and data security. Main areas where state administration actions are required
are: support of measures for supplementary training of labour, tax preferences in planning of actions and
digitalisation of activity, stimulation of young specialists, introduction of internationally recognized processes of
standardisation and certification, adaptation of legislation in the area of data protection, and securing reliable
and high speed networks.
Keywords: Agriculture; Bulgaria; digitalization; rural areas
Date published: 2020-06-04
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