“Urban agriculture” programme – creating an agricultural cooperative

Context

The creation of an agricultural cooperative in Banja Luka is part of the "Urban Agriculture" project, which aims to provide healthy, local food for the residents of Banja Luka. The aims of the project are to provide employment for residents, to cultivate urban and suburban areas, to provide more food and healthier eating habits, to increase the economic power of the city and its residents, and to strengthen links between residents.

The project

This project represents the first programme to introduce commercially certified organic production of fruit and vegetables in Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is a response to the challenges of developing urban agriculture in Banja Luka and developing healthier, environmentally-friendly crops. The project is supported by the Banja Luka Faculty of Agriculture and the town of Banja Luka.

Resources

The contract to launch this project was signed in 2017 by Mayor Igor Radojičić and Nikola Mićić, then Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture in Banja Luka. In mid-December 2017, Banja Luka and the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Banja Luka signed a contract for the allocation of a municipal building for the needs of a future agricultural cooperative as part of the "Urban Agriculture" project.
Funds totalling more than 230,000 euros have been raised to set up this project.

Results

The project involves the production of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and vegetables under glass, as well as beekeeping. Product placement is secured by a contract with cold stores. The target population is young people, aged between 18 and 35. In Saračica, the construction of the "Sunčani Brijeg" cooperative was planned, with its premises, a sorting and packaging plant for raspberries and cultivated vegetables, and equipment for honey.

The project has both economic and social significance, as it is intended to remove 100 people from the Employment Office and register them as commercial farmers through this project.

The project envisaged that 20 beneficiaries, i.e. unemployed people, would receive land for organic production in Motike, while the other 80 would have to do so on their own properties.

The project, although ambitious, unfortunately did not come to fruition. The contract signed with the cold stores where the food produced was initially to be stored was not honoured.

This fact sheet was written by Jérémy Bernier, a student at Bordeaux Sciences Agro - January 2023.

Sources:
- https://www.rtvbn.com/3993683/gdje-je-ispario-novac-i-sta-bi-od-projekta-urbana-poljoprivreda-u-banjaluci-foto
- https://sarajevotimes.com/organic-food-produced-banja-luka-residential-buildings/
- https://mojahercegovina.com/mh-istrazuje-kako-je-propala-urbana-poljoprivreda-u-banjaluci-i-isparilo-300-000-km/

Last modification : 21 Jun 2023.