The adoption of a strategy for agriculture and rural development for the entire country is required in order for European Union to continue providing the assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is one of the key messages of the Forum on the prospects of agriculture development of BiH, organized across the country by the Office of the EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUSR). These events are informative and educational, trying to round-up farmers, representatives of the EU and experts in this field. In an open dialogue about the process of EU integration, the participants exchanged experiences and information, including recommendations for improvement of domestic production.

The Forum was hosted by the Head of EU Delegation to BiH and EU Special Representative, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, who stressed the need for the adoption of a strategy for agriculture and rural development.

“Harvesting in Bosnia and Herzegovina can really be without borders, as is the motto of our project. However, there cannot be any substantial support of the EU without the Strategy. A significant part of the work has already been done, now a political decision should be made adopt the Strategy. EU market is highly competitive, but the European Union offers many opportunities for the development of agricultural sector“, said Ambassador Wigemark.

BiH joining the EU will open the market with more than 500 million potential consumers, which is a huge opportunity for agricultural producers. In order to have enough time to adapt to the changes, it is necessary to carry out preparations for the EU accession process as soon as possible. Regional expert, Ruzica Gelo, who was a negotiator for agriculture and food security in this process in Croatia, said that this process requires a lot of knowledge and information. The Republic of Croatia, in its accession to the EU, mostly benefited in this particular sector, said Gelo.

“Prior to joining the EU, Croatia allocated significant funds for agriculture, and these funds have dramatically increased with country’s EU membership. Today we can use around 750 million euros per year, and these funds are distributed as incentives to producers and the development of rural areas,” said Gelo.

Farmers must unite

The status of farmers can significantly improve if they organize into agricultural cooperatives or associations. Regional Project Expert, Jovica Jaksic of the Independent Association of Farmers of Serbia pointed out that the different forms of association can have a significant impact on improving the position of farmers.

“Farmers should join together and jointly enter the market, as this will strengthen their economic position. When buying raw materials together they receive a discount on the quantity, and when selling their products they are more attractive to larger customers and avoid brokers, which leads to a better price,” says Jaksic.

Forums that took place in ten cities gathered more than 1,500 farmers, who took the opportunity to ask the local, regional and international experts about potential improvement of the production. Most inquiries related to the introduction of European standards, ways of organizing their holdings, and placement of products to the EU market.

Benefits of associations for farmers

Agricultural producers can significantly improve their position by joining the unions and various organizations, which brings numerous benefits including:
– discounts on purchased raw materials,
– easier procurement of equipment,
– easier and cheaper to introduce certification and production standards,
– greater competition,
– better negotiating position with decision-makers.