EU Project Supports Farmers: Progress, Not Just Recovery

More than 170 agricultural producers from Drvar, Fojnica, Jablanica, Kiseljak, Konjic, Kreševo, Mostar and Vareš that were affected by the October 2024 floods will receive valuable material and advisory assistance from the EU support to floods recovery in Bosnia and Herzegovina project. 

In the municipality of Vareš, a water torrent flooded the agricultural land of 46-year-old Sanel and his four-member family, destroying all of their strawberry fields.

Today, thanks to the support of the European Union, Sanel is able to plant strawberries again, this time in new, 100 m2 greenhouse. Together with the greenhouse, Sanel will receive mineral fertilizer, as well as expert advice on how to improve his production.

Before the floods, he grew his strawberries outdoors; now, he has planted them in the protected environment of the greenhouse. This opportunity will bring new benefits for the farmer, including longer growing seasons, and, consequently, higher income. 

“This greenhouse means a lot to me. Now, I will be able to have first strawberries in May, which will improve our financial situation” explains Sanel, who is father of two children aged 9 and 13. 

The beneficiaries of the project were selected through the public call, in order to secure transparency, accurate assessment of real needs, and to direct assistance to those who need it most. The support packages include greenhouses, materials for agricultural production, beekeeping equipment or small machinery. All beneficiaries had the opportunity to choose the package that suits them the best. 

Mirzija from Konjic will receive beekeeping equipment. "I lost many beekeeping colonies, and this support will mean a lot to me for further development and recovery," he says.

In addition to support packages, the project includes expert lectures on agricultural topics across all participating municipalities, as well as expert visits providing individual advisory services to beneficiaries. These lectures will enable farmers to learn about the latest practices, helping them improve their production and make the most of the project support.

EU support to floods recovery in Bosnia and Herzegovina project, worth 20 million euros, is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The project is designed to respond to the needs of the population in communities directly affected by the natural disaster in October 2024, with a special focus on socially and economically vulnerable populations, multi-member households, the unemployed, people with disabilities and other marginalized groups. 

In addition to support for agricultural producers, the project envisages the rehabilitation and construction of housing units, reconstruction of public institutions and local infrastructure, as well as support to small and medium-sized enterprises in the restoration of their businesses.