Governing Of Environmental Problems And Impacts In Bulgarian Agriculture — Lessons For Central Asian Countries

This paper presents lessons from environmental management in Bulgarian agriculture for Central Asian countries. Comparative institutional analysis is employed to evaluate the potential of diverse governing modes to deal with environmental problems and risks, protect absolute and contracted eco-rights, stimulate eco-investment, and intensify and coordinate eco-activities. Firstly, we assess market efficiency, private and public modes in Bulgarian agriculture, and the identity of major environmental challenges. Next we withdraw conclusions about how positive and negative experiences from the Bulgarian transition could be used to modernize environmental management in Central Asia. The post-communist transformation of Bulgarian agriculture has been associated with a relaxation of general environmental pressure, but also has brought about significant new problems, such as degradation and contamination of farmland, pollution of surface and ground waters, loss of biodiversity, etc. Central Asian countries should adapt the Bulgarian experience to their specific economic, institutional and natural environment. More particularly, there is a need to modernize institutional structures by introducing new eco-rights, redistributing rights to natural resources, liberalizing eco-activities, and improving systems of enforcement of eco-rights. Next, it is necessary to apply a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach in governing public support, research, education and extension programs embracing economic, social, environmental, and other aspects of agrarian sustainability. It is also important to select more effective modes for public intervention (regulation, assistance, financing, and partnership with the private sector) and enhance direct public involvement in environmental preservation and improvement. Furthermore, different forms of public and