As part of the SMARTLABOR initiative, the Centre for Public Policy Research/Re:People has released a national report titled “Which Skills Small Farmers Need and What They Get” The findings are clear: Serbia’s small farms, which are central to rural life, remain on the margins of the digital revolution.
With climate change disrupting crop yields and supply chains, digital agriculture is no longer optional—it’s essential. Tools like precision farming and remote advisory services can increase resilience and efficiency. Yet, for many small farmers, these innovations are out of reach.
Despite policy support, most smallholders rely on basic platforms like Viber and Facebook. The use of advanced tools is minimal, blocked by:
- Low digital literacy
- Outdated education systems
- Weak advisory services
- Financial constraints
To improve uptake, the report identifies five sectors whose collaboration is of vital importance:
- Entrepreneurial and corporate actors
- Education and research institutions
- Public institutions
- Investment and capital providers
- Agricultural intermediaries
The report recommends:
- Empowing farmers through education and training
- Further strengthening Agricultural Advisory and Professional Services
- Enhancing innovation and private sector engagement
- Enhancing development of customised digital tools for small farmers
- Reforming agricultural Vocational Education and Training (VET)
- Implementing real-time monitoring and feedback systems
- Facilitating financing and access to tools
Embed Sustainability into Serbia’s Smart Specialization Strategy (S3) Without closing the digital skill gap, Serbia risks leaving small farms behind. Aligning innovation with real farmer needs isn’t just smart policy—it’s a path toward social equity, climate resilience, and rural modernization.
The national report “National Report Serbia: What Skill Small Farmers Need and What They Get“ was developed within the framework of the regional project ‘SMARTLABOR – Strengthening Alliances for Policy Development and Testing in the domain of Innovation, Digitalization, and the Labor Market in the Western Balkans“ implemented by the Centar za promociju civilnog društva (CPCD), Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM), and the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM), with financial support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA).
For full report see: HERE
