The INSTITUTE FOR LAND RECLAMATION AND AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY was established by virtue of a Decree of the Ministry Council No. 270/2000 by joining together the former scientific units of The National Center for Agricultural Sciences: The Research Institute for Irrigation, Drainage and Hydraulic Engineering - Sofia, / Established in 1953 /, The Agricultural Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Institute - Sofia and The Experimental Station on Agricultural Irrigation - Stara Zagora. The subject of activities includes research, applied research and services in the field of irrigation, land reclamation and agricultural mechanical engineering.

The Institute is a national center for research activities and scientific development as well as for training agricultural experts and farmers and it is the only Bulgarian institute dealing with the solution to engineering, agronomic and economic problems of land reclamation, irrigation, water management, agricultural machinery and equipment.

Main Activities:

• Fundamental and strategic studies;
• Research on specific problems related to the subject of activities of the Institute;
• Studying, designing and engineering services;
• Experts services and consultancy;
• Methodological, technical and consulting assistance to farmers and machine producers;
• Postgraduate training focusing on Doctor’s degree;
• Postgraduate training of experts in irrigation, drainage, agronomy, agricultural mechanical and electrical engineering;
• Training agricultural producers and experts;
• Studies and elaboration of designs for irrigation and drainage systems or structures as well as for the rehabilitation of existing ones;
• Overall technology for growing agricultural crops on irrigated lands;
• Production, delivery, assembly, supervisions and commissioning of modern equipment, complete installations and machines such as:
  • gravity irrigation systems;
  • drip irrigation systems;
  • sprinklers and sprinkler irrigation systems;
  • specialized and multi-purpose sprayers to be used with pesticides and other solutions;
  • transport and loading/unloading equipment for agricultural purposes;
  • technologies for harvesting, initial treatment and storage of agricultural produce;
  • technical equipment for planting, growing and harvesting potatoes, carrots, onion, beetroot etc.
  • technical solutions for the initial treatment of ethereal, oil bearing and medicinal plants;
  • machines for shelling, cutting and grinding animal feed;
  • milking installations;
  • equipment for using non-traditional sources of energy for heating and for drying agricultural produce.

International Cooperation:

• Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA;
• Grandfield University, Silsoe College, UK;
• Mansour University, Egypt;
• Russian Institute for Hydrotechnical Engineering and Melioration, Moscow, Russia and others.

Participation in international projects: