BALCHIK — The 12th international ministerial conference "Bread of Peace" has been held in Balchik under the theme "Farming resilience in times of crisis". Deputy agriculture minister Yanislav Yanchev called for long-term planning and cooperation between state bodies, farmers, scientists and business.
Yanchev opened the forum in the Stone Hall of the "Palace" Cultural Centre, a state cultural institute. Representatives of European countries, farm groups, young farmers and social partners are taking part.
Yanchev said wars, climate change, unstable markets and inequality directly affect farming, food security and the lives of millions of people around the world. "Today's global challenges call for more unity than ever," he said. Food security, he said, is not just about having enough food. It needs a reliable system that keeps working in a crisis.
"Resilience is not only the ability to get through the next crisis," the deputy minister added. He said farmers also need answers for the longer term. The sector needs stability, security and predictable rules so that farmers can plan, invest and pass the land on to the next generation.
Yanchev believes the future of farming depends largely on new technology and on young people. Precision farming, satellite monitoring, automation and artificial intelligence allow better use of water, energy and other resources, and higher output. He said the technology must be within reach of farmers and meet their practical needs. Money for it should go together with money for education, research and putting new methods into practice.
He said the other main task is adapting to climate change. This calls for sound management of water, soil and biodiversity, soil protection, and systems to prevent and manage risk. The crises showed how much farms that can pay their own way are needed, along with reliable supply chains for farm and food products.
Predictable rules, access to funding, better infrastructure and a fair share of added value along the supply chain all help, he said. Yanchev also called for more varied markets, more local production and shorter supply chains. He said Bulgaria is modernising farming through investment in digital tools and nature-friendly farming methods, and by supporting small and medium-sized farms so they can compete.
The programme includes the results of work by young farmers and social partners, speeches by heads of delegations, and certificates for people who took part in the initiative. In the afternoon, there will be a demonstration of new farm equipment. In the Rose Garden of the "Palace", a "Bread of Peace" ceremony will hand over "Bread of Peace 2026" to the Republic of Lithuania.