Project Background

Rural development is a national necessity of Macedonia because the agricultural sector generates employment opportunities in urban and peri-urban areas. Some of the key challenges facing farmers in the Pelagonia region include:
(a) A lack of qualified local personnel to advise farmers on how to improve their operations and provide support in the implementation of good practices; (b) a lack of communication and cooperation between farmers, public institutions, educational centers, and other sector stakeholders, and (c) limited access to information about the available financial instruments/grant programs for agribusinesses.

Working to overcome these challenges, we will develop new quality services that offer good value-for-money and are focused on supporting the functional repositioning of agriculture in Macedonia. The goal is to redefine the role of the farm by creating new production opportunities and fostering multifunctional activities.

Activities

• Developing  4 new services in agricultural extension, access to finance and business management, veterinary training, and farm cooperation models;
• Developing an integrated veterinary program;
• Implementing the Ovsynch protocol in dairy farms;
• Preparation of nutrition protocols for dairy farms;
• Developing access to finance trainings for the agricultural sector;
• Improving lobbying and advocacy in support of rural development;
• Promoting cost sharing mechanisms among farmers;
• Improving the flow of information among farmers, civil society organizations and the public sector.

Expected Results

• Developed 4 new sustainable services for MSMEs;
• Improved daily practices on dairy farms;
• Increase membership in the LAG by 100% over 14 months;
• Capacity building of LAG Agro Lider (3 new jobs);
• Increase the annual income of member organizations by 80%
• Increase the income generated by advisory services;