Foreign Aid

resolve a complaint from cherry growers regarding the assessment of the cherry classes at the time of purchase. Similar assessments will also be performed in Merosina and Blace.

6) Drafting of National Irrigation Strategy to begin

July 24th, 2020, http://www.agronews.rs/zapoceta-izrada-nacionalne-strategije-navodnjavanja/

The Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has launched a joint project to develop the National Irrigation Strategy and an accompanying five-year Action and Investment Plan. The main goal of the project is to improve agricultural production by increasing irrigation capacity and identifying and mapping priority investments for the next ten years.

The project is being financed through the EBRD by the government of Israel and the Central European Initiative.

7) EUR 10 million in financing for 4,000 Serbian micro-enterprises

July 22nd, 2020, http://www.agronews.rs/eif-obezbeduje-10-miliona-evra-za-4-000-mikro-preduzeca/

The European Investment Fund (EIF) has provided EUR 10 million to approximately 4,000 Serbian microenterprises, including small Serbian farmers, having difficulty accessing financing. The financing is being provided as part of the European Union (EU)’s Employment and Social Innovation Support Program and is provided to beneficiaries on better-than-market conditions. It is expected that this will significantly contribute to the faster development of local economies as well as strengthen the creditworthiness of beneficiaries.

8) Serbian farms well on their way toward digitization

July 15th, 2020, http://www.agronews.rs/digitalizacija-vec-usla-u-svako-trece-gazdinstvo/

The latest research indicates that 30-40% of domestic farmers already rely on some kind of digital technology for production. This indicates that it is not just large-sized farms that understand the importance of using new technologies to get higher returns with less investment. It is important to note that every segment of agricultural production can benefit from digital technology, from land preparation, planting and irrigation to harvest, transportation and storage. At the same time, not everything needs to be digitized. The key is to understand the true value digitization can bring and utilize it to boost output and profits.

9) Serbia hosts state-level Innovation Prize competition

July 13th, 2020, https://agrosmart.net/2020/07/13/inovativni-poljoprivredni-startapi-iz-srbije-na-evropskom-takmicenju/

For the first time, a state final for the Innovation Prizes competition was held in Serbia. The competitions, organized by the European Institute for Innovation and Technology in the Field of Food (EIT Food) and Startit in 17 Southeastern European countries, are some of the largest agri-food startup competitions in Southeast Europe. They have the goal of supporting startups and entrepreneurs in transforming national food systems into healthier, more sustainable and more reliable ones. Winners