TİKA Supports Strawberry Cultivation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided seedlings and irrigation systems to 25 families to develop strawberry cultivation in the city of Cazin, located in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina heavily suffered from the war that took place between 1992 and 1995, and operations were suspended in many industries that provide employment to the people. In order to support those who were directly affected by the war, TİKA has implemented many projects to improve the standard of living of families whose livelihood depends on agriculture and animal husbandry.

In this context, TİKA launched a new project and provided 25 families in need with seedlings and irrigation systems that will enable them to grow strawberries on a land of 1,000 sq. meters, in order to financially support women living in rural areas of the city of Cazin, located in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Implemented in cooperation with the Cazin Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association, which was established in 2011 and has 50 active members, the project aims to help families earn their livelihood.

Speaking at the delivery ceremony of the project, which was implemented to reduce poverty, ensure sustainable food safety, and contribute to income-increasing activities, Irfan Hodžić, the president of the association, said that as part of their rural development activities, they work on the cultivation of products suitable for the local production structure of the country and support their members in the regional sales of their produce. Hodžić thanked Turkey for providing support through TİKA to further improve the model they developed.

In his speech, TİKA’s Sarajevo Coordinator Muhammed ÜNAL stated that the projects implemented in the field of rural development use the natural resources and manpower of regions due to their nature and that the agricultural production provides a source of livelihood to the region and contributes to the development of the country. Ünal noted that the rural development projects suitable for the production structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina are valuable as they are consistent with the self-sufficient production model that TİKA is trying to build. He added that they will continue to implement similar projects in the future.