International relief & Development

Agrculture

Agriculture development program represents one of IRD’s primary focuses since the beginning of the CRDA program in 2001. To date, IRD has funded within this component of CRDA program, over 230 agricultural projects aiming at creating new jobs and additional incomes for rural inhabitants and strengthening the overall competitiveness of Serbia’s food sector. Through a set of selected measures and interventions, these projects have enabled approximately 3,500 rural households, 80 agricultural cooperatives and associations and over 60 food-producing SMEs to develop value-added production and improve production efficiency and marketing of their products targeting regional or international markets.

Through In-kind Grants IRD provided funding for production and/or processing equipment, agricultural mechanization and materials needed by farmers and their organizations to achieve the following goals:

Increase production efficiency and competitiveness;

Diversification of production through introduction of new breeds, varieties and production/processing technologies;

Assistance to value-added production – improved production and marketing of traditional meat & dairy products, bee products, processed fruit and vegetables;

Support to artificial insemination centers and strengthening agricultural extension services providers, etc.

The range of technical assistance provided to Western Serbia agriculture and food sectors considers all aspects of crop and animal production, processing and marketing, and it comprises the following major types of assistance provided:

Educational trainings & seminars - some of covered topics include: introduction of VAT legislation; exploring rural financing opportunities; clustering; marketing, project development, EU standards in agriculture, export of foodstuffs; consulting for implementation of ISO/HACCP/food-safety related international standards, introduction of organic farming, etc.

Market access activities and strengthening business linkages – exhibiting at trade fairs, introduction of modern marketing tools and materials, business-to-business meetings; study tours and field visits; promotion of partnership along the agricultural supply chain;

Rural organizations management and production capacity building,

Mentoring program – assisting Western Serbia food producers interested in establishing exports to the USA to attain compliance of their products to the USA import legislation through adjusting packaging and labeling, registering with FDA, etc.