Context [1]
Agri-food in Western Balkans has considerable potential. The six economies of the Western Balkans are characterised by a significant number of small agricultural households and smallholders. Generally, actors in the value chain are domestically privately owned.
In total, there are 281,697 business entities in the Western Balkans operating in agri-food. Financial data, available for 7% of the companies, show total assets owned of EUR 26 billion and operating revenues generated of EUR 14 billion annually. The same companies employ 192,000 people, which makes agri-food the key sector in the region in terms of employment.
The Western Balkan agri-food sector is not particularly attractive for foreign investors. Serbia is the regional economy that attracts the highest number of agri-food projects, accounting for 75% in terms of the capital investment and for 71% in terms of employment.
Actors in the value chains should be connected at both the national and the regional level to ensure the strengthening of existing value chains and the creation of new ones in the agri-food area in the Western Balkans.
The internationalisation of Western Balkan agri-food companies requires high-quality production, digitalisation and technological innovation. In that sense, while tradition is important, it is not a sufficient condition for the development of competitive products that prepares the economies for the single market.
Creating the future of skills in agri-food
The ETF's 'Skilling up the Western Balkans agri-food sector: greening, digitalising' project (2022-2025) aims to increase the level of SME innovation and competitiveness through higher level of connectedness between skills and innovation actors, and relevant networking and peer learning – all in preparation of entry into the EU and the single market.
Target group
The project primarily targets:
- Innovative SMEs involved in areas such as digital transformation and sustainable transition of the agri-food sector;
- Agri-food SMEs looking to make an innovation shift;
- Business associations and industry clusters supporting SME internationalisation;
- Education and training and research institutions involved in innovation and skills formation in the agri-food area.
Among the participants of the Networking events, there were young enthusiastic people who have fulfilled their dreams and built their businesses with innovative potential. They were interviewed by the journalist and this is what they have shared with us.
Objective and approach
The European Training Foundation will provide tailored support in linking SMEs for innovation, productivity-enhancing skills and quality of work in the area of agri-food.
The objective of the project is to:
- Identify current and future digital and technological changes and resulting skills needs in the agri-food area, with a particular focus on niche markets of Western Balkan companies selected through a Call for participation;
- Connect skills and innovation actors for an agri-food ecosystem that supports change;
- Connect participating SMEs, business associations and industry clusters in Western Balkans with likeminded partners in the EU for peer learning, to build up skills for digital and green transition in agri-food; and
- Facilitate networking to accelerate partnerships as a key for cross-border cooperation and the development of joint co-investment projects in agri-food.
[1] Matusiak, M., Radovanovic, N., Rakhmatullin, R., Stehrer, R., Beraha, I., Berrer, H., Boch, M., Djuricin, S., Graser, G., Jovanovic, B., Korpar, N., Ljumovic, I. and Marjanovic, D., Analysis of Value Chains in the Western Balkan Economies - Enriching the Potential for Regional Cooperation in Priority Areas, Matusiak, M., Radovanovic, N. and Rakhmatullin, R. editor(s), EUR 31024 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2022, ISBN 978-92-76-49490-4, doi:10.2760/060677, JRC126816.
