The project SMART BALKANS focuses on promoting the Smart Specialisation approach to development in the Western Balkans, in line with the EU trends, and under the umbrella of EU Cohesion Policy.
The agri-food sector is a major component in the Smart Specialisation Strategies of countries in the Western Balkans (S3) given its significant role in the region’s economic, innovative, and scientific potential. The project activities aim to systemise and broaden S3 knowledge relevant to agri-food sector in Western Balkans, bring it closer and more accessible to all interested parties, and open it to civil society actors empowered to become its regular users and contributors.
Overall goal of the project:to enable the efficient adoption of technological advancements and drive progress in the agri-food sector within the region by supporting evidence-based policy-making and employing CSO capacities to achieve this task.
Specific objectives of the project:
1Develop an open-source platform that encompasses methodologies, stakeholder maps, a comprehensive data repository, and interactive tools for policy creation and testing. This platform will be readily accessible, and methods can be replicated by other Western Balkan countries currently not involved in this action, fostering knowledge exchange and policy development in the region.
2Strengthen the capacity of Smart Labour Network (SLN) to serve as a central civil society organization and resource for national and regional policymaking processes related to S3, leveraging their research, advocacy, and networking capabilities across WB6 through the open-source platform and envisaged activities.
3Facilitate the co-creation of effective policy solutions in collaboration with key stakeholders from Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, aimed at supporting the implementation of smart specialization strategies in the agri-food sector at the national and regional levels.
Target groups:
1) Civil society organizations, members of the SLN, government agencies, research institutions, farmers’ associations, industry representatives, technology providers seeking environmentally sound solutions, and secondary and tertiary educational facilities offering vocational education and training (VET) programs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia as well as across the WB6 region;
2) National actors in the three countries gathered around the efforts within the CLUSTER 5 – Resources, agriculture and cohesion, with the idea to inform their activities in the accession process; and
3) Representatives of EU and donor community actors supporting transition of the WB6 into knowledge-based economies.
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Beneficiaries:
- Government agencies tasked with Smart Specialisation Strategies, agricultural and rural development;
- Farmers and farmers’ associations; agri-business entrepreneurs and innovators;
- Civil society dealing with rural development, environment, socio-economic equality, and topics relevant to SDGs 2, 9 and 15;
- Providers of vocational education trainings; and
- Rural communities in the WB6.
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Lead partner on the project: Public Policy Research Center (CENTER) from Serbia
Project partners: Centre for Development Evaluation and Social Science Retsearch (CREDI) from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Impetus from North Macedonia
Duration of the project:22 months
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The project is funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
