2. April. 2016. | 02:54

Launch of new project: Sustainable Agriculture for Sustainable Balkans

Consoritium of CSOs from Albania (IEP – Institute for Environmental Protection), Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FLOROZON – Center for Environmental Democracy), Kosovo (NGO AKTIV) and Montenegro (CZIP Center for Protection and Research of Birds), led by Organisation ORCA from Serbia, together with 15 associate partners represented by public authorities, scientific institutions and CSOs from the Western Balkans region, has started implementation of the regional project 'Sustainable agriculture for sustainable Balkans'.

Project aims to strengthen advocacy capacities of CSOs, create platform made of CSOs, public authorities and science, and develop regional policy in sustainable agriculture, nature protection and animal welfare in the Western Balkans - using research, training and networking.

In order to achieve project aims, a series of capacity building workshops for CSOs together with sub-granting scheme of best project proposals will be organized. Main focus of this scheme will be on supporting local advocacy projects for specific issue in sustainable agriculture, which targets decision makers, as well as raises awareness about importance of sustainable agriculture for local socio-economic development.

Research - as a tool to explore the level of harmonization of legislative and strategic framework and practices in sustainable agriculture, will be used to identify the starting point for policy development in targeted Western Balkans countries. The research will consist of field and desk research, and will involve regional and EU experts relevant for different aspects of sustainable agriculture. Based on these results, the Regional Working Platform, made of representatives of CSO sector, national public authorities and science, will develop regional policy document. This document will identify relevant stakeholders, strategic directions and specific actions to be conducted at national and regional level during EU accession process of the targeted countries in the Western Balkans region.

The project will target representatives of media from all partner countries who will participate in a workshop dedicated to informing and educating about socio-economic benefits of implementing sustainability principles in agricultural practices in the Western Balkans region. Trained media representatives will be actively involved and continuously follow project activities during the entire project period. Production of specific promotional and educational material will follow project activities.

The project lasts four years (2016-2019) and is funded by the European Union, represented by European Commission, Directorate general for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR). 

More information:

Lead partner Serbia: ORCA, contact person: Elvir Burazerović, director of ORCA and project coordinator + 381 (0)65 303 00 44, www.orca.rs

National partner Albania: Institute for Environmental Policy, contact person Edvin Pacara, local project coordinator +355 (0)68 245 03 32, www.iep-al.org

National partner Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: FLOROZON Center for Environmental Democracy, contact person Kiril Ristovski, local project coordinator + 389 (0)78 43 02 51, www.florozon.org.mk

National partner Kosovo: AKTIV, contact person Aca Mitić, local project coordinator + 381(0)64 060 53 73, www.ngoaktiv.org

National partner Montenegro: CZIP Center for Protection and Research , contact person Aleksandar Perović, local project coordinator +382 (0)68 61 42 63, www.birdwatchingmn.org