Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas22Jan2015
The European Commission has adopted the rural development program (IPARD) for Serbia
The European Commission has adopted the rural development program (IPARD) for Serbia on the proposal of the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, which paves the way for the EU support to Serbia's agricultural sector over the next six years.
The budget, which totals EUR 175 million, will be at disposal of Serbian farmers in the form of grants for co-financing of certain investments.
This should lead to the total investments in this sector of around EUR 400 million (RSD 49 billion), the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection released in a statement.
The main goals of the program are increasing food safety in Serbia, promoting competitiveness of the agricultural production and processing sector in Serbia and helping Serbia get gradually harmonized with the EU standards.
Serbian Minister of Agriculture Snezana Bogosavljevic Boskovic underlined that this is very good news, adding that this will be significant assistance for Serbian farmers.
“Farmer will be able to apply independently with their projects for these one-time funds and thus step up their production and increase competitiveness of their products so that they could compete with European farmers,” the minister said.
The EC adopted the rural development program for Serbia on January 20 envisaging support for producers of milk, meat, fruit and vegetable and other crops, agricultural producers introducing organic production methods and development of private capacities in the domain of rural tourism.
Photo: Tanjug, R.Prelic