Background and Analysis 

Brief Agricultural/Food History of Bulgaria 

Bulgaria is a beautiful country located in the Balkan Peninsula, bordering
Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, and the Black Sea. It spans 110,994 square kilometers and controls key land routes from Europe to the Middle East and Asia. It’s landscape is mountainous, and the climate features predominantly cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers. Roughly 46.9% of the land is used for agricultural production and 6.7% of the labor force is employed in agriculture.

Bulgaria’s history has helped shape the food insecurity that is currently plaguing the country. In 1946, Bulgaria became a communist satellite state of the Soviet Union and quickly began improving economically through the rise of industrialism. In 1950, Vulko Chervenkov, leader of the Communist Party from 1950-1954, forced agricultural collectivism on the country in hopes of increasing productivity and of bridging the gap between agricultural and industrial laborers. By 1958, 92% of the arable land had been collectivized, and up until 1976, these collectives were repeatedly consolidated into a smaller total number of collectives, each of increasing size. These attempts, however, were unsuccessful, and agricultural production continued to decline throughout the Communist regime. In 1989, due to rising tensions with ethnic Bulgarians, 310,000 ethnic Turks were expelled, many of whom were agricultural workers, leading to yet more failure in the agricultural sector. This ultimately lead to the economic crash of 1997 and the end of the collectivist era. Today, only 6.7% are employed in agriculture, and agricultural production has continued to decline since the fall of Communism in 1990.

 

Food Waste 

Food waste is defined as food intended for human consumption which is discarded, whether or not it has reached its expiration date. In supermarkets and other food distributors, food is often discarded due to oversupplies and strict aesthetic regulations. Some food is also lost during the production of food products, where trimmings are tossed out instead of being reused in some different way. Furthermore, in developing nations, inadequate storage facilities and transport systems result in massive amount of food being spoiled or in some way damaged. In households and in restaurants, unfinished meals are often thrown out or become forgotten leftovers that eventually spoil. In total, one third of the world’s consumable food, an amount that could feed 2 billion people, is regularly being thrown away. In Bulgaria alone, 40-50% of produced food is wasted, yet 870 million Bulgarians go hungry each year. One of the possible factors contributing to the food waste in Bulgaria could be the fact that food donations by organizations are not tax deductible and it is therefore much cheaper to just throw the food away than to donate it.

Breaking News 

Bulgaria: Junk Food Tax

In the Fall of 2015, Bulgaria added a tax ranging from 3% to 80% on all junk food in order to combat potential future health problems caused by consumption of unhealthy foods. According to the Bulgarian Health and Sports Ministers, junk food is defined as food containing high quantities of sugar, salt, caffeine or vegetable oil. This tax is expected to not only discourage unhealthy eating habits, but also to generate a large sum of revenue for the country, 20% of which will be allotted to sports facilities, 20% to improving school meals, and 40% to treating diseases caused by junk foods. Although an attempt to improve Bulgarian health, this tax has not been welcomed by all. The food industry is worried that the motivating factor behind this tax is disingenuous, and will ultimately harm small- and medium-sized businesses.

This article points to some tensions and lack of trust between the food industry and the government. The food industry, as described in the article, feels that the government is using them to fix their own economic deficits, whereas the government has stated that it is imposing this tax for the good of the country. These kinds of tensions are actually part of the reason for this project – the BFB and other related food organizations and entities believe that the VAT tax imposed on the food industry is hindering productive use of leftover food, but the government claims it is for health and safety reasons. This is important for me to keep in mind when conducting my research, and to realize that this is a much more complex issue involving many different parties who may not all be on the same page.

Bulgaria: Stricter Regulation on Funding for Agricultural Projects

The Program for the Development of Rural Regions (PDRP) has discovered multiple attempts at manipulation from farmers receiving funds from the PDRP. Rumen Porojanov, director of the National Fund “Agriculture”, stated that there have been several instances of farmers applying for funding of an agricultural project, only to pocket the money without fulfilling their contracts. Although there have been instances of farmers being unsuccessful at accomplishing their proposed projects due to lack of funds or outside hinderances, such as Russia’s embargo on the EU, corruption is seen as the main issue.To combat this, Porojanov is urging for stricter regulation and termination of contracts that are not upheld within a specified amount of time.

Corruption is a problem in Bulgaria, and this article showed that it is present even in the food sector. However, it is important to note that there have been efforts to curb this issue, as described in the article, and that there is optimism that things will improve. A question I have regarding my project is whether corruption is also at play when it comes to food waste? It will be interesting to learn more about the political and economic dynamics of this issue as I begin working on the project.

Food Waste: Danish Surplus Food Supermarket, WeFood

On February 22, 2016, Copenhagen, Denmark opened its first food rescue supermarket, WeFood, that sells donated food otherwise destined to be thrown out, at a reduced price. The charity is operated by DanChurch Aid, an NGO whose “aim is to strengthen the world’s poorest people in their struggle for a life in dignity”, and was a year-long effort of crowdfunding and close collaboration with Danish politicians. The food sold in the supermarket is one that is past its purchase date or in a damaged package, but is still safe and sanitary to eat.The majority of the food will be donated by Føtex and Danske Supermarked, and the proceeds will be donated to DanChurch Aid. Denmark has already made great strides in fighting this issue by reducing their food waste by 25% in just five years, and with the opening of this new supermarket, it is expected to decline even more.

This is a great model of how food can be utilized properly and this is a great idea for a next step for Bulgaria. With this research project, the BFB hopes to diminish or remove the VAT tax, and if that is successful, a next step could be to combat food waste in other ways, one of which could be a supermarket like this. During the GIS trip to Bulgaria last year, we volunteered at a soup kitchen, where we served food to less fortunate individuals. Although very grateful for receiving this aid, it was evident that many were embarrassed at needing to go to a soup kitchen and to protect their privacy, we were not allowed to take pictures in the soup kitchen that had the recipients in them.  A similar charity like WeFood would be very beneficial to the poorer population in Bulgaria, and alleviates some of the stigma associated with being in poverty.

Food Waste: French Food Waste Law

As of February 3rd, France has become the first country to “ban supermarkets from throwing away or destroying surplus food, forcing them instead to donate it to charities and food banks”. This monumental law was the product of a grassroots campaign led by the French  councillor Arash Derambarsh that garnered lots of supporters, leading to former food industry minister Guillaume Garot to introduce a food waste bill to the national assembly in December.  The new law states that large French supermarkets (footprint of 4,305 sq ft) are required to sign a food donation contract with charities and food banks or face a penalty fee of €3,750. This law is intended to help alleviate the problem of food waste as well as the poor distribution of food. It was reported that it has become more and more common for people to rummage through supermarket garbage bins for food, to which some supermarkets have responded by locking their dumpsters or dousing the perfectly good food with bleach for supposed sanitary reasons. This new law will now allow the food to be properly distributed through the work of food banks and charities. So far, the law has had an overwhelming support, even from supermarkets, and has become a very hot topic all over Europe.

In fact, talking to my mentor about my project, she told me that a big impetus for her proposing this project at exactly this time was this French law, which had been in the process for some time. We are hoping that the inertia started by this French law will help give more weight to our project and be more impactful to the Bulgarian government so that such positive change can happen there as well. Bulgaria, like France is faced with the problem of food waste, and similarly, a significant amount of people go hungry and sometimes even resort to dumpster diving to feed themselves. This law is a testament to the fact that food waste is not only a fixable issue, but it is also a very feasible and easy one to fix. Now that France has paved the way, this task of changing our attitudes and laws towards food banking does not seem as daunting. Furthermore, France is pushing to make this law universal for all EU participant countries, Bulgaria being one of them. This will be a huge breakthrough in moving Bulgaria away from food insecurity.

Local Faculty/Community Connection

Faculty Connection: Richard Johnson, Director of Sustainability at Rice University

Richard Johnson is the Director of Sustainability at Rice University, and in this role “he coordinates, supports, leads, and provides technical assistance for a broad range of campus sustainability initiatives, including high-performance ‘green’ building, recycling, energy conservation, and environmental education” (Richard R. Johnson). He is the former President of the Houston Farmer’s Market (now known as the Rice Farmer’s Market), and currently a research affiliate for the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Associate Director of the Center for the Study of Environment and Society (CSES), and Professor in the Practice of Environmental Studies in Sociology. Although he does not have any connections with Bulgaria, he is very knowledgeable on food waste as it relates to Rice University and the Rice Farmer’s Market. Part of my research project is to collect data on the best practices used around the world to combat the issue of food waste, and Mr. Johnson has expertise in this area, specifically at Rice and Houston.

Talking with Mr. Johnson, I learned that the Rice Farmer’s Market was originally a non-profit organization unaffiliated with the university, however later became a part of Rice and is now headed by Housing and Dining. The relationship between the Housing and Dining department and the Farmer’s Market is very strong, with Rice chef’s being expected to serve food from the Farmer’s Market at least once a week. This relationship also prevents waste production, because after every market day, Rice chefs buy leftover food not sold that day and use it to create delicious, healthy meals for the students. Within the Rice kitchens, specialized equipment is used to reduce food waste during preparation of meals. For example, Mr. Johnson described how meat that is cooked in a conventional way, shrinks in the process. To get more yield from each piece of meat and feed more students, Rice kitchens use a specialized steamer that reduces this shrinkage. Another example of food saving technology is the use of blast chillers. Prepared food can be stored at 40 – 100 degrees, the so-called bacteria growth zone, for 4 hours before it is deemed unacceptable to eat. To extend the life of prepared foods, the Rice kitchens are equipped use the blast chillers to quickly chill the food and prevent its spoiling. Mr. Johnson also shared with me the efforts that he has seen in Sweden when it comes to food sustainability. A week ago he visited the urban farm Stadjord in Gothenburg, Sweden, where food that would otherwise be wasted is recycled in various ways. One of their projects consists of raising fish, such as tilapia, on food waste, thereby recycling food to produce more food. Unique ideas such as the ones Mr. Johnson shared with me, could be used in Bulgaria to diminish food waste.

 

Mentor Connection: Tsanka Milanova, Director of the Bulgarian Food Bank

This study will investigate food waste, quantifying the scale of the problem in Bulgaria, identifying the causes of food waste, its environmental impacts and existing reduction initiatives, and finally developing additional policy options and modelling their potential results. During my research internship, I will work very closely with my mentor, Tsanka Milanova, on two portions of the project. First, I will conduct literature review before arriving in Bulgaria on good practices used around Europe and the United States in combating food waste, as well as background information on the extent of the issue and what has been done about it. During the first month in Bulgaria, I will gather more data on the issue through interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups of key people in Sofia. In the second month in Bulgaria, I will be involved in compiling the data so that it can be presented to the media sources in Bulgaria, as well as to businesses and universities to bring awareness to the issue and our proposed ways to fix it. I will help with translating the written final products in English so the data can be made available to other European countries and organizations.

 

Food waste is a global issue that affects both developed and developing nations. This problem, therefore, is just as relevant in the US as it is in Bulgaria. Upon my return from Bulgaria, I want to continue engaging in this issue by keeping in touch with the BFB and potentially working with them on future projects. In Houston, I want to become involved with the Houston Food Bank and their initiatives by bringing the skills that I would have learned while abroad. Aside from the the food bank, Houston has many different organizations ranging from composting to policy making organizations all devoted to reducing food waste. With the base knowledge that I will gain while in Bulgaria, I can more effectively help my community here in Houston. Furthermore, food waste also means that food is not reaching communities that really need it and is also a public health issue. As a premed student, this is of very high interest to me, and I am therefore very motivated to continue learning about and be a part of the solution for food waste.

Reflection

I chose to work in Bulgaria for two reasons – I wanted to give back to the community I grew up in and, due to my previous work with the Bulgarian Food Bank, I have become very interested in the issues of food insecurity. I am originally from Bulgaria and lived there until I was nine years old. Growing up I witnessed homeless and poor people digging through dumpsters and begging all to feed themselves and their families. Being so young, I did not think much about this issue or reflect on it – this was just the way things were.

Last year, I heard about a Group International Service trip to Bulgaria to work with the Bulgarian Food Bank for three weeks during the summer. I was very surprised that Rice was offering such an opportunity! Most people who I tell I am from Bulgaria have absolutely no idea where, or what, it is, so having a volunteer trip to Bulgaria was very exciting for me. I immediately applied and was accepted into the program. That summer, ten of us from Rice University were able to witness the entire process of food banking from the collection and storage of donated food, to the food drive itself, to the distribution and utilization of the food by the receiving organizations. It was amazing to see so many people put so much work and effort into helping the less fortunate even with the discouraging food donating policies in Bulgaria. During the trip and through my own light research afterwards, I learned that food waste is a much bigger, pressing problem that can very easily be remedied, and I want to be part of that cure. Coming back this summer to lead the second Group International Service trip to Bulgaria and continuing working with the BFB on this research project will be my contribution to helping alleviate this problem of food waste and give back to the country that I grew up in.

Although I have some basic knowledge of this issue, I still have several questions that I hope to answer during my research. I want to understand how big of an impediment current laws and policies are to eliminating food waste and how large of an impact this has been economically. I am also interested in the public’s opinions and attitudes on the issue.

Appendix

‘Junk Food’ Tax in Bulgaria Might Range from 3 to 78% – Health Min – Novinite.com – Sofia News Agency. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2016, from http://www.novinite.com/articles/171425/’Junk Food’ Tax in Bulgaria Might Range from 3 to 78 – Health Min

Bulgaria – Agriculture. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2016, from http://countrystudies.us/bulgaria/39.htm

Bulgaria food tax plans criticised by industry. (2015). Retrieved February 22, 2016, from http://www.just-food.com/news/bulgaria-food-tax-plans-criticised-by-industry_id131923.aspx

Chrisafis, A. (2016). French law forbids food waste by supermarkets. Retrieved February 22, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/04/french-law-forbids-food-waste-by-supermarkets

Denmark just took a major step to eliminate food waste. (2016). Retrieved February 23, 2016, from http://www.thelocal.dk/20160222/denmark-opens-its-first-surplus-supermarket-to-combat-waste

Facilities. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22, 2016, from http://sustainability.rice.edu/richard-johnson/

Help us fight for the world’s poorest. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2016, from https://www.danchurchaid.org/

How ‘Ugly’ Fruits and Vegetables Can Help Solve World Hunger. (2016). Retrieved February 20, 2016, from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/03/global-food-waste-statistics/

Richard R. Johnson. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22, 2016, from https://shellcenter.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=2147484107

Затягат контрола над изпълнението на земеделски проекти | Investor.bg. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2016, from http://www.investor.bg/evroproekti/264/a/zatiagat-kontrola-nad-izpylnenieto-na-zemedelski-proekti–211099/