Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas
24Jun2015

Centre's Project: How to formulate more efficient policies of rural development?

Public Policy Research Center presented in Media Center the research results within the project “The Impact of Socio-economic Structure of Rural Population on Success of Rural Development Policy”. This is the first scientific project concerning rural development in Balkan. Its empirical insights are offering public policy creators the ability to formulate more efficient policies aimed to support farmers and rural development.

The findings are result of the regional policy oriented research conducted by the Association of Rural Economists from Macedonia, the Public Policy Research Centre from Serbia, and researchers from Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The project is implemented within the Research and Promotion Programme (RRPP) with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Research results show that rural areas of Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are characterized by common problems that are typical for countries in transition: depopulation, low activity in the labor market, high participation of small farms and slow process of their restructuring. The problems farmers face is the low level of support for rural development, but also the fact that a large number of them are not familiar with the measures and mechanisms provided through national budgetary support. Farmers also face problems in complying with complex rules and procedures for access to budget support.

These and other research findings and policy recommendations were  presented by the CENTAR's researchers  and the Project Team Leader for Serbia, Prof. dr. Natalija Bogdanov.

 

Recommendations will be presented to the representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of the Republic of Serbia, policy and academic experts in the field, and to NGOs dealing with rural development.

Download the pdf version here