AGRICULTURE IN RURAL AREAS - CHANGES, IMPACTS AND DEVELOPMENT

For two programming periods, Bulgarian agriculture has been developing in the conditions of our common and national agricultural policies. Adaptation processes have led to significant economic, social and environmental changes in farms and rural areas. The aim of the article is to assess the changes in the agricultural sector and their impacts on rural development. The analysis of changes in production and organizational structures and the impacts of rural development are assessed on the basis of statistical information and expert assessment of 163 specialists from regional directorates of Agriculture, municipal services and regional services of the National Agricultural Advisory System. The conclusions confirmed the upward development of Bulgarian agriculture, but with significant structural disparities and different in direction and strength impacts by regions of the country.