Green Council & Catalys consulting NGOs in Bosnia on the case for a state level Agriculture Ministry

Catalys supported an intensive series of consultations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, during 2013, regarding the case for an Agricultural ministry at the state level led by led by Sanela Klaric (president) and Selma Osmanagic Agovic of the Green Council (www.green-council.ba).

The project is looking at the progress to date in comparison with other countries in the Western Balkan region and discussing whether the interests of rural communities and farmers would be better served with an agricultural ministry at the state level.

Currently, the national agricultural responsibilities are carried out by the Agricultural and Rural Development Department of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations.  With many of the competences regarding Agriculture and Rural Development carried out at the "entity" level; the entities being the ethnically defined "Muslim/Croat Federation" and the "Republika Srpska"; established as part of the post war rapprochement.

The consultation is debating whether more progress would be made with a stronger and more focused agricultural ministry at the state level; as, when compared to the progress made in neighbouring countries such as Croatia, relatively few forward steps are evident in Bosnia.  Ultimately, it is the farmers and rural citizens who are losing out, as the funds that are intended for them are not available in Bosnia; whilst those same funds have been available in Croatia since 2007; meaning that each farmer in Croatia has on average had access to nearly €2,500 per head that has not yet been made available in Bosnia.

The first consultation was held in Buna, near Mostar, with the second day held at Foca, today 21st.  for news of the progress of the consultation, check out the following http://green-council.org/odrzan-prvi-konsultativni-sastanak-u-okviru-projekta-zasto-nam-je-potrebno-drzavno-ministarstvo-poljoprivrede-i-ruralnog-razvoja-u-bih/

Catalys provided underpinning analysis - which is available from info@catalys.org on request; and will soon be available from our www.catalys.org/publications.