First Land Consolidation Project of BAALO
The first land consolidation project in the village of Katunets, Ugyrchin municipality, Lovech region was attended by nine owners, with 440 hectares consolidated. The project, which started in 2008, achieved an increase in the average size of the properties up to three times and managed to arrange them for each of the owners in specific blocks. Before the project began, the average rent on the ground was about 0,5 leva per hectare, and after finishing the project, it reached 25 leva and brought serious farmers to the land, which also benefited the owners who did not participate in the project. Within the framework of the project, two of the participants were given the opportunity to create large blocks for new perennials and also gave them the opportunity to work on the construction of irrigation systems in their new properties.
Five projects
The next five projects took place in the village of Razdel, Elhovo municipality, Yambol district, village of Studena, Svilengrad municipality, Haskovo district, Momina cherkva village, Sredets municipality, Bourgas district, Drumevo village, Shumen municipality, Shumen district, Smyadovo , Shumen district. A total of seventeen owners with 4000 hectares of land, successfully consolidated by 2014, participated in these projects. These projects examined the needs of reconstruction of agricultural roads, environmental protection, irrigation and the creation of new farms and industrial development sites.
You can see the integrated plan and project map of the town of Smyadovo before and after land consolidation here
Fifteen projects
At present there are fifteen procedures for consolidation of BAALO opened, listed in the table below:
| Town/village | Municipality | Region | Number of participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assenovo | Strazhitsa | Veliko Tarnovo | 9 |
| Dolno Yabulkovo | Sredets | Bourgas | 9 |
| Fakia | Sredets | Bourgas | 9 |
| Gorno Ablanovo | Borovo | Rousse | 7 |
| Gorsko Slivovo | Letnitsa | Lovech | 9 |
| Jrebino | Elhovo | Yambol | 7 |
| Lalkovo | Elhovo | Yambol | 10 |
| Lenkovo | Gulyantsi | Pleven | 6 |
| Markovo | Kaspichan | Shumen | 7 |
| Nikolaevo | Pleven | Pleven | 10 |
| Radiuvene | Lovech | Lovech | 6 |
| Strazhitsa | Strazhitsa | Veliko Tarnovo | 10 |
| Strelets | Gorna Oryahovitsa | Veliko Tarnovo | 8 |
| Suhindol | Suhindol | Veliko Tarnovo | 10 |
| Ugarchin | Ugarchin | Lovech | 6 |
Up to now 100,000 decares are requested, but other participants may wish to join if the projects are continued. For these lands, there are maps of the current state of the land, its soil, climate, nature, roads, industry, as well as the zones that need to be consolidated. The maps of reconstruction, environmental protection, etc. were made.
Goals of BAALO with regard to the Land Consolidation
As the members of the Association expand in number, the aim is to extend the integrated consolidation to more than one thousand villages. Besides the arrangement of fragmented private property, state and municipal property is also expected to be involved, since their plots are also scattered and ineffective in use. The Association will work hard to integrate irrigation, ecology, innovation, logistics, industry and social activities into a desire for complex village planning. This will preserve the interest of people in rural life and create the right conditions for realization of investment intentions. Through the Land Consolidation projects, BAALO will pay particular attention to the needs of small and young farmers to establish sustainable and diversified agriculture.
