Strategy of agriculture and rural development of Serbia for the period 2014–2024. year, which is still valid, is coming to an end, but the question of its impact on Serbian agriculture is being raised. Although the strategy was supposed to serve as a landmark for agrarian development, it had very little effect, and officials rarely or almost never referred to it. According to analysts, the predicted annual growth of agriculture of 9.1% was achieved with only 1.7%.
One of the key factors for this outcome is the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union. The agreement exposed Serbian agriculture to liberal capitalism, which had a particularly negative effect on animal husbandry. Serbia, from a former exporter of meat, has become an importer, and the number of cattle, pigs and sheep has decreased significantly. In the European Union, the agricultural budget makes up 33% of the total budget. On the other hand, in Serbia, that percentage is just above 5%. Otherwise, it should be at least 10% in order to be in line with the share of agriculture in the gross national product. In practice, the agricultural sector of Serbia should have at least one billion euros, not the current 450 million euros.
What does the strategy say?
New strategy of agriculture and rural development for the period 2025–2032. is under construction. Unlike the previous one, it will be limited to seven years for better monitoring and alignment with trends in agriculture. Some of these key trends include climate change, digitization, technological advancements, reducing the use of chemicals, preserving land and changing the way people eat. Although the preparation of the new strategy has been entrusted to foreign companies from Slovenia and Sarajevo, the question arises as to whether this work should be performed by domestic experts due to the importance of the nation’s food security.
The corona virus pandemic and war conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and the Middle East, have shown that countries must rely on their own resources to ensure food security. When periods of crisis occur, each country tries to ensure food supply according to its capabilities. In the last decade, digitization and technological progress have become key trends in agriculture. Farmers are increasingly using smart devices, GPS technology and crop management apps to improve efficiency and increase yields.
In addition to technological progress, agriculture faces the challenges of climate change, such as droughts and floods, which directly affect yields and the stability of the food market. It is necessary to provide farmers with answers to these challenges, either by changing the structure of production or in some other way. The results of the latest agricultural census, which indicate negative trends, will also shape the future development of agriculture.
Source: Farmer
Source: boljazemlja.com
