Faculty of Plant Protection and Agroecology at the Agricultural University – Plovdiv (www.au-plovdiv.bg)
The Organic Agriculture major prepares specialists with in-depth knowledge of the principles, methods, and practices of Organic Agriculture in Bulgaria and Europe.
The education is linked to the optimal combination of disciplines reflecting diverse aspects of modern agriculture.
The programs for the individual disciplines allow for the combination of lecture /theoretical/ material with practical activities carried out through visits to organic farms, organic processing enterprises, and trading organizations for organic products, etc.
The main educational goal is for students to acquire:
Theoretical knowledge and practical skills in organic agriculture;
Skills and competencies for restoring and maintaining the biological balance in agroecosystems, soil fertility, the use of agricultural machinery, and protecting the environment from pollution;
Preparation in building them as consultants, managers, and organizers of experts and production processes;
Competencies for applying European standards for the production and storage of organic products, as a necessary requirement for high quality and safety of products and food.
Core Disciplines: Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility Maintenance, Ecologically Sound Crop Rotations, Agroecology and Agroecosystem Management, Ecological Legislation, Biological Methods and Means for Plant Protection, Structure and Management of the Organic Farm, Organic Crop Production and Organic Forage Production, Organic Fruit Growing, Organic Vegetable Production, Organic Animal Husbandry, Standardization and Labeling of Organic Production.
Graduates of the Organic Agriculture major will be able to find employment in consulting organizations at national, district, and regional levels, structures of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the State Fund "Agriculture", the increasing number of organic production and processing structures, as well as in newly formed research and teaching teams within the structures of the Ministry of Education, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, technological and trading companies, etc.
