The project “ANC – Sustainable Economic Development and Environmental Protection in Areas with Natural Constraints in Bosnia and Herzegovina” officially concluded with a three-day conference in Jahorina, Bosnia, aimed at sharing the results achieved and lessons learned during the three years of implementation.
ANC supported rural development in 11 Bosnian municipalities affected by natural limitations, through investments in equipment and tools, technical assistance, and training for public officials.
The Jahorina event, attended by 80 participants including partners and beneficiary institutions, also served to officially launch the project “ProBio – Promotion of Local Biodiversity through Innovative Nature-Based Actions in the Agri-Food Sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. This new initiative aims to build on ANC’s achievements by reaching 21 Bosnian municipalities and contributing specifically to the protection of agricultural biodiversity, while expanding the technical partnership network to include Bosnian universities.
Both projects are funded by Italian Cooperation, with a total budget of 5 million euros, and are implemented by CIHEAM Bari (Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari) in partnership with MoFTER (Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina), and in collaboration with various local institutions and partners.
Stefania Vizzaccaro, head of the AICS office in Tirana, responsible for cooperation activities in the country, emphasized how ANC has proven to be “a strategic investment in local human capital, which—without relying on external expertise—strengthened and mobilized existing local resources, training over 250 officials and providing them with the tools necessary to support their communities.”
In her closing remarks, while thanking the many local authorities present, Vizzaccaro highlighted how their work had been highly meaningful, “aligning with national-level actions and priorities, a fundamental convergence to ensure coherence and effectiveness.”
