The final conference of the ANC BiH project – “Sustainable Economic Development and Environmental Protection of Areas with Natural Constraints in BiH” will be held on Tuesday, May 27 on Jahorina mountain.
Implemented from May 2021 to November 2024, the project aimed to strengthen sustainable economic development and environmental protection in agricultural areas of local communities that are often neglected due to complex natural and geographical challenges.
“Through more than three years of implementation, the ANC BiH project has brought concrete results: financial and technical support to local communities, modernization of production, strengthening of cooperatives and associations, but also building a strategic basis for the further development of rural areas,” emphasized Suzana Madžarić, coordinator of the ANC BiH project.
“This is the first initiative that systematically addressed the challenges and potentials of agriculture in areas with natural constraints in BiH,” emphasized Madžarić.
The project contributed to improving the knowledge and capacities of domestic institutions, and it is particularly important to highlight the professional training, the creation of GIS maps and legislative analyses that will help in harmonization with EU practices.
“The project laid the foundations that enable strategic planning of rural development and a fairer distribution of agricultural incentives, especially for those working in difficult conditions,” said Madžarić.
The ANC BiH project was funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). It was implemented by the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute in Bari (CIHEAM Bari), in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH (MVTERO) and relevant institutions at the state, entity, cantonal and municipal levels, as well as the Brčko District.
The project invested more than 1,000,000 BAM in 11 municipalities: Bužim, Berkovići, Bratunac, Donji Žabar, Glamoč, Goražde, Fojnica, Kupres, Posušje, Rudo and Brčko District. In addition to investments in infrastructure and equipment, a comprehensive socio-economic analysis of 109 municipalities was conducted, 62 experts were trained in Italy, and rural development strategies were developed for nine municipalities.
Following the successful implementation of the ANC BiH project, support to rural communities continues through the new ProBio BiH project – “Promoting local biodiversity through innovative nature-based actions in the agri-food sector of BiH”.
The kick-off conference of the ProBio BiH project will be held the day after the final conference of the ANC BiH – on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, also at the Vučko Hotel on Jahorina.
The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) is strongly committed to supporting sustainable development in the Western Balkans, through its regional office based in Tirana.
