Three local governments in NALED's campaign
In order to support and economically empower the rural population in the municipalities of Surdulica, Lebane and Vlasotince, a process of mapping the needs of agricultural producers and processors, as well as service providers in the field of rural and agritourism and traditional handicrafts was initiated. This process is an integral part of the activities within the campaign "Fit for the needs raise opportunities for underdeveloped areas", and the plan is to expand in the coming period to local governments in North Macedonia - Kumanovo and Staro Nagoričane.
According to NALED's Regional Development Advisor, Dijana Spalević, the mapping focuses on the intention to identify local products, regardless of whether they are raw materials, semi-finished or finished products, as well as the needs of the producers, processors and local service providers themselves in terms of equipment, raw materials or professional support in order to define support programs.
-Local support programs would include financial incentive measures from the budget of local governments, but also non-financial ones that we would provide from the cross-border cooperation project "Fit for the Needs raised opportunities for underdeveloped areas". Our goal is to economically empower the rural population from the mentioned municipalities, or to create conditions for generating income for producers, processors and service providers, especially when it comes to women and young people, says Spalević.
The needs mapping will include a total of 180 owners of rural, or agricultural farms in Serbia - 60 per municipality, but it is predicted that the interest will exceed this number. Most of the mapping process will be done through individual interviews with owners or members of farms in the three municipalities, according to the following schedule:
• Lebane - from September 27 to September 30, 2021.
• Vlasotince – from September 30 to October 1, 2021.
• Surdulica – from September 27 to September 29
Mapping will also be supported by local communities - from management, through employees engaged in line units involved in the project, to members of focus groups that directly or indirectly operate in the field of agricultural production and processing, traditional handicrafts, rural and agritourism.
The mapping process is an integral part of the initial activity of the project "Fit for the needs raise opportunities for underdeveloped areas ", co-financed by the European Union within the first call of the Serbia-North Macedonia Cross-Border Cooperation Program, implemented by NALED in partnership with Women's Association "Ruža" from Lebane (Serbia), MIR Foundation from Skopje and AktivUm Civil Center from Kumanovo (North Macedonia).
