FAO, Bosnia and Herzegovina partner for sustainable, resilient, and inclusive growth

Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries constitute the backbone of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s economy. With the signature of a new accord between FAO and the country today, the parties pledged to ensure sustainable, resilient, and inclusive growth of the sector. The document was signed by the Minister Staša Košarac on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Deputy Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia Nabil Gangi on behalf of FAO. The Country Programming Framework outlines their cooperation through 2025.

Unfavourable (fragmented) farm structures, low marketability of agri-food products of Bosnia and Herzegovina, rural out-migration, weather extremes and unpredictability are the main factors limiting development of rural areas and the agriculture sector. On the top of those came the COVID-19 pandemic with its social and economic consequences.

Reacting to the realities, FAO is committed to help the people in Bosnia and Herzegovina benefit from resilient, inclusive, and sustainable development through economic growth and improved management of natural resources.

“The new five-year Country Programming Framework we signed today is more than pledge; it is an obligation that we jointly undertook, and it represents a firm commitment to improve the rural economies and rural livelihoods, making sure no one is left behind,” commented Nabil Gangi, FAO Deputy Regional Representative after the signature.

Joint priorities and future actions

Under the overarching goal, the agreement foresees support to authorities and communities to provide them with knowledge and instruments to build resilience for climate change adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk reduction, and deter transboundary animal and plant pests and diseases.

FAO is committed to continue working on reducing the vulnerability of the country’s agriculture sector from natural disasters through structured interventions, simultaneously targeting disaster risk management and climate change adaptation. In particular, FAO aims to deepen the country’s engagement with the Green Climate Fund on climate change mitigation and adaptation in the agriculture sector and the help the sector contribute to the implementation of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s nationally determined contributions. The COVID-19 and the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance illustrate the importance of a multi-sectoral One Health approach in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Another priority is to ensure authorities have the knowledge and tools to make their economic measures and policies more competitive, sustainable, inclusive, and resilient from farm to plate. These entail, among others, targeted support to the country’s alignment to European Union and international food safety standards, as well as continue building the grounds of e-agriculture.

The joint agreement should help rural communities, including smallholder farmers, fisherfolk, women and youth, and other vulnerable groups, and the private sector agro-enterprises apply sustainable growth principles for inclusive economic development and decent jobs.

Under this, the potential for rural diversification, digitalization, and climate-smart sustainable technological adoption will be assessed, and the less-advanced groups supported in gaining access to finance and knowledge in smart agriculture. The FAO farmer field school approach will be utilized to demonstrate good practices in sustainable agriculture and deliver field-based training to smallholders.

Lastly, by 2025, authorities and communities should be equipped to manage and protect natural resources, with special attention to forests and land, in a more sustainable and inclusive manner.

This CPF is aligned with FAO’s Strategic Framework for 2022–31, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021–2025 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.