The Eastern Bosnia Srebrenitsa Agricultural Projects Have Been Completed

The Eastern Bosnia Agricultural Development Project centered in Srebrenitza being implemented in three stages by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency Directorate was completed with the distribution of 7 drying machines with a capacity for 300 kilograms.

The first leg of the Eastern Bosnia Agricultural Development Project, which aims to provide support during the return of the Bosnian populations to properties they had been isolated from during the Bosnia Herzegovina war in 1992-1995 and forced to live as refugees; had been completed in March. This first stage was completed with the distribution of 23 different kinds of seeds for farming to the 287 families living in Bratunac, Zvornik, Miliçi, Vlasenica, Rogatica, Vişegrad, Han Pijesak and Jepa.

During the second stage of the project 3 tractors were distributed in March. The third and final stage of the project which was comprised of mechanical support towards increasing productivity was completed with the presentation of 7 fruit and vegetable drying machines to farmers with the cooperation of the Srebrenitsa Municipality in a ceremony organized at the Potoçari Genocide Remembrance Memorial which was attended by TİKA officials, Srebrenica Municipality representatives and farmers. Following the ceremony to hand the fruit and vegetable drying machines over to farmers in the last and final leg of the Eastern Bosnia Agricultural Development Project which aims to encourage migration back to the area and to help families survive economically, officials went to the villages along with the farmers and distributed the machines.

The drying machines will be used to dry fruits and vegetables that are not able to be consumed when fresh, in order to prevent losses that occur when products are not able to reach markets and to help improve the income level of families living in the area. Farmer Vehid Dediç, who returned to the village of Burnica in Bratunac with his 4 children said that he produces 10 tons of fruit yearly but a large portion of his product is subject to rotting because of not be able to reach the market in time. Farmer Vehid Dediç said that he will be able to use the drying machine donated by TİKA to produce around 2.5 tons of dried fruit a year and that this was enough to earn a living for his family.