Dražena Romić: A physiotherapist who successfully took over a dairy production business

The family business belongs to the Romić family, and when Dražena married Igor Romić, she chose to leave her urban life behind for the farm. She quickly earned the admiration and trust of the family, who entrusted her with running the business. Despite being a trained physiotherapist, Dražena has excelled in her new role.

"It wasn’t easy at first, but when you invest all your energy into something and see the results, it becomes your motivation to keep going. Our family operates in harmony, and that harmony is reflected in the business. We all work hard and give our best, which is the key to success," Dražena shared.

The stunning green landscapes of the Kupres region are now largely empty, sadly due to a growing number of young people leaving in search of better opportunities in cities. However, sometimes going in the opposite direction might be the right path. Dražena and her family decided to find peace in the warmth of rural life, dedicating themselves to the family business, which provides more than enough for their livelihood.

One of the key goals of the project "Women Driving Resilience in Agriculture and Rural Areas" is to ensure that women rural entrepreneurs in Bosnia and Herzegovina are visible, included, and recognized as critical actors in the development of rural areas. To achieve relevance and effectiveness, the project conducted consultative research where women rural entrepreneurs, including Dražena Romić, who actively participated in various phases.

Rural women entrepreneurs were invited to participate in a series of consultative workshops across Bosnia and Herzegovina. These provided a platform to share their experiences, challenges, and recommendations on starting and managing agribusinesses. Focus groups were also organized to capture diverse perspectives and needs of women in various rural communities. The outcomes of these workshops directly shaped the strategic directions of the project, ensuring its activities aligned with the real needs and priorities of women.

"I’m a city girl, but I decided to find peace here with my family. While many leave rural areas for cities or even other countries, we found the recipe for happiness in combining family life and business in this beautiful homeland. This job gave me opportunities to grow, which wasn’t possible in my profession, and I believe I made the right decision to continue my life here," added Dražena.

Although the “Perkan” farm has operated for three generations, its best business results have come under Dražena’s leadership. The farm now has cattle producing milk for the famous cheeses this region is known for. The farm maintains excellent conditions for the livestock, ensuring the high quality of the milk produced. However, they face a significant challenge in finding shepherds, as livestock must be taken out to pasture daily. Despite offering competitive wages, this remains one of the major challenges for agriculture in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their products can be found in select retail domestic chains, though most are exported to neighboring Croatia.

The visit to the “Perkan” farm was part of the "Women Driving Resilience in Agriculture and Rural Areas" project, aimed at recognizing rural women entrepreneurs as key actors in developing Bosnia and Herzegovina’s rural areas. The project is supported by Sweden and jointly implemented by UN Women and FAO.