Cooperation with UN Women: New opportunities for women in rural areas

The Federal Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry Kemal Hrnjić met today with the representative of UN Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina Jo-Anne Bishop.

They discussed the implementation of the Project “Women Driving Resilience in Agriculture and Rural Areas” and stressed that the rural communities are not only at the core of local production, but also an inexhaustible source of innovation if given the right opportunity, as recognized in the new partnership between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry and UN Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The project “Women Driving Resilience in Agriculture and Rural Areas”, funded by Sweden and jointly implemented by UN Women and the Food and Agriculture Agency of the United Nations (FAO), will include a public call for grants for the initiation and improvement of business activities of women in the field of agriculture and rural development in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Minister Hrnjić said the Ministry was ready to actively participate in improving the position of women in the agricultural sector, adding that “,we want to put a special focus on the economic empowerment of women in the rural areas of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina through this project. Women in these areas often face many challenges, but their strength and ability to improve their communities must not be overlooked. This agreement worth close to 350 thousand KM shows our commitment to creating equal opportunities for women and contributing to the development of sustainable and prosperous rural communities.

“This initiative provides concrete opportunities for women to realize their full economic potential in the agricultural sector. Through joint collaboration with the government, we ensure that women have access to the resources, knowledge and markets they need to succeed. This partnership reflects a shared commitment not only to investing in the advancement of women, but also in the overall progress of their families and communities,” said Jo-Anne Bishop.

The project “Women Driving Resilience in Agriculture and Rural Areas” aims at removing obstacles that limit the economic empowerment of women in rural areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina by providing access to financing, introduction of innovative solutions and capacity building. The project will also work on the inclusion of gender-responsive approaches in the policies and budgets for the rural development and agriculture in order to better reflect the needs and priorities of women into development plans.

The public call for grants is to be published soon, and details on the method of participation, the municipalities involved and the application will be available on the official website of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry.