Centar za promociju civilnog društva (CPCD) is implementing the project titled AveAgri – Acceleration of Women’s Employment through Cooperation of Small Women-Owned Agricultural Businesses in Srebrenica, Bratunac, Čitluk and Čapljina, with funding from the United States Department of State in the amount of 28,882.00 USD.
This project aims at empowering women from rural areas of Podrinje and Herzegovina to join forces and enter markets jointly by encouraging them to create agricultural cooperatives. A crucial component of this project is the bottom-up action and cooperation between individual producers – women, CSOs, and institutions.
Why is AveAgri important?
Although women in Bosnia and Herzegovina are involved in numerous agricultural activities, most of that work falls under the category of unpaid domestic labor. In the instances where there is a particular agricultural production set, majority of work is done by women however the owners of the small agricultural businesses are men. This is clearly seen from the statistics which show that women comprise 14% of the official workforce in agriculture in BiH, while the rest of the women engaged in this sector are unpaid or in the grey economy. The problems of inadequacy of policy solutions, unequal approach to this issue across governmental levels, and under capacitated CSOs gathering women in agriculture burden the women whose potential is crucial for the agricultural sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
What are the planned activities and results?
Through the capacity assessment, trainings, workshops, research and promotional activities at least 60 women from Srebrenica, Bratunac, Čapljina, and Čitluk will have increased knowledge on their rights, the ways to place their agricultural businesses to markets, but also to place their issues and concerns on the decision-making agenda, and the legislative framework on agricultural businesses and networking/cooperation in the agricultural sector, at least one new women’s cooperative body is planned to be established in either one of the entities, while at least 10 new women-owned agricultural businesses will be registered in both entities. General public’s awareness of the importance of equal access to the business environment and enabling women-owned (agricultural) businesses will also be increased.
Where will the project be implemented and how long will it last?
The project will be implemented for 12 months in the municipalities of Bratunac, Srebrenica, Čitluk, and Čapljina.