Municipalities today

In an interview with Agri.BG, Donka Mihaylova, Mayor of Troyan Municipality and Vice-President of the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB), presented the municipality’s successful model for producing its own fruit, vegetables and honey for use in meals served in municipal nurseries, kindergartens and the children’s milk kitchen.

According to Mayor Mihaylova, between 80% and 90% of the fruit and vegetables used in children’s meals are currently produced in the municipality’s own orchards and greenhouses. The next step is to extend the model to school catering.

“We know what is produced, how it is produced and what goes into our kindergartens, nurseries and children’s milk kitchen. We have the assurance that this is high-quality produce that contributes to children’s health,” said Donka Mihaylova.

The idea of municipal food production emerged nearly ten years ago in response to the difficulties of securing high-quality food through public procurement procedures. In 2016–2017, Troyan Municipality established plum and apple orchards and later expanded the initiative with vegetable production and greenhouse facilities.

“It was an idea that was not easy to realise because public procurement legislation often prevented us from providing children with the quality of food we wanted. Then we asked ourselves: why not start producing fruit ourselves?” Mihaylova recalled.

Today, the municipal farm produces apples, plums, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, leafy vegetables, potatoes, pumpkins and zucchinis. The initiative was later expanded to include honey production after the municipality received a donation of bee colonies, with the honey also becoming part of children’s meals.

Alongside the development of its own agricultural production, Troyan Municipality reformed the organisation of children’s catering by establishing a centralised municipal kitchen, enabling more efficient planning and improving the quality of the meals provided.

Following the successful implementation of the model in childcare facilities, the municipality is now building a centralised school catering facility and plans to gradually expand the cultivated areas in order to meet growing demand.

All investments have so far been financed entirely from the municipal budget, without external funding. The municipal farm employs three staff members, while municipal employees regularly volunteer during the harvest season.

The Troyan model demonstrates how municipalities can ensure high-quality nutrition for children through consistent policies and the effective use of local resources while creating sustainable solutions in the public interest.

According to Mayor Mihaylova, the benefits of the initiative are reflected not only in the quality of children’s meals but also in health indicators. She noted that over the past seven to eight years, the municipality has recorded a significant decline in cases of diabetes and weight-related health problems among children—a trend she attributes to healthier nutrition combined with greater access to sports and physical activity.

The full interview is available on the Agri.BG website.