Business Incubator - Gotse Delchev organized a partner meeting under the NEWBIE project, H2020 Program on 22-24 May in Sofia. What results are achieved so far and what would be done were actively discussed by the partners. Access to labor in agriculture and access to markets, capital and land are challenges not only for Bulgarian new entrants but for the EU as a whole. The winners from the National contests of NEWBIE innovative new entrants in farming applied different innovative approaches, however all of them love what they do. Everyone looked forward to visiting 4 Bulgarian farms in the Samokov area: the cow farm run by 3 cousins ​​Barzanovi, former successful skiers, Green to Go Farm – greenhouses for leaf vegetables, the organic raspberries of Alexander Nanov and the mountain strawberries of Didi Blagoeva.

27 representatives from 12 EU countries (UK, Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Greece and Bulgaria) learned from the BG newbies about the challenges they faced to start and develop their new farm business, the motivation to continue despite the difficulties, the innovative solutions they implement, what approaches they use to access markets and end-users, etc.

An interesting European conference in Slovenia next year will be held, where newbie farmers, universities, research institutes, business incubators and networks of young farmers will discuss the challenges and possible innovative solutions and new business models. More information on the project website http://www.newbie-academy.eu/