The Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Banja Luka established an agricultural cooperative within the project “Urban Agriculture”, which will be engaged in the organic production of berry fruit, vegetables, and honey. They are planning employment of around 100 people, while the cultivation of vegetables will take place in the city, as it is a custom in large European and world metropolis.
They are planning the production of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and greenhouse production of vegetables as well as beekeeping. The placement of products is secured by a contract with cold storages. The target population is youth, between 18 and 35 years of age.
The European Union is financing this project and it is implemented by the International Labor Organization – ILO. Partner organizations are the Employment Service of Republika Srpska, the City of Banja Luka, Caritas of Switzerland from Sarajevo as well as several agricultural companies.
“This project represents the first program of the introduction of commercially certified organic production of fruit and vegetable in the RS. The project has both an economic and social importance because it is planned to remove 100 people from the Employment Office and register them as commercial agricultural holdings through this project. Around 20 subjects will realize the production at the model land in Motike, and 85 users will realize the production on their own land,” as stated in a request for a space that the faculty submitted to the City of Banja Luka.
As it was noted earlier from the Faculty of Agriculture in Banja Luka, the basic characteristic of Urban Agriculture is local production of food for local use, which is a concept that secures: employment of residents, cultivation of urban and suburban areas, more food and healthier nutrition, the increase of the economic power of the city and its residents and a stronger connection between residents. The typical production method in urban agriculture is bio-intensive method, through which are produced large quantities of organic food on limited areas.
(Source: M. N./Klix.ba)
