TIKA Agriculture Projects in Bosnia Herzegovina brings results

Thanks to projects about agriculture and apiculture in Bosnia Herzegovina carried out by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA); Bosnian farmers has been preparing to export their products.

TIKA continues to take sides with fellow Bosnia Herzegovinians with its projects. In this context, projects carried out by TIKA in agriculture and apiculture started to bring results. Union of Organic Producers in Middle Bosnia Canton is a foundation which its center is in Travnik and has been producing both organic and traditional agricultural products since 2007. TIKA connected to this union to support organic agricultural sector in 2013 and also supplied 15 wooden prefabricated stands and 15 wooden promotion stands for 40 organic agriculture producers. 150 families has got benefit from the project as of yet. 
Producers promote and sell their products within 16 different cities in Bosnia Herzegovina while using these stands. Besides they take place in International Raspberry Days held twice a year by way of opening a stand. In addition to promotion and sale, the union also permanently gives theoretical and practical training for its members about agriculture technologies to encourage them to produce in EU standards. The union plans to establish a permanent place in Sarajevo for stands supplied with the purpose of stable sales and promotion in a short time for its products. 

Project in Apiculture

Within the scope of TIKA Project; an apiculture association was firstly founded in Kacuni and 700 bee hives were given to member 35 families. 400 bee hives were formed through sharing bee frames from the producers who take good care to bee hives delivered before, adopt the project and have no winter loss, with queen bees bought for a certain sum of money in 2010. Then they were distributed to 40 families, each of them has 400 bee hives. Apiculture equipments, crystal sugar, bee cake, organic drugs and fundamental honeycomb for caring and nutrition of hives were given to families given bee hives.  
In addition; a truck which will be used for transport of bee hives and equipments in migratory apiculture, bee cake production set, centrifugal extractor and office equipments and furniture with intent to use in office of the association were supplied by TIKA for joint tenancy of all members. On the scope of the project, totally 75 families were supported with 1.100 hives. Especially in May, 2014; all producers was affected by flood disaster in Bosnia Herzegovina. TIKA sent cakes, sugar and drugs for bees to the association after the disaster. 
Honey production was affected under bad weather conditions but the association which preserves its existence and becomes institutional continues its activities without any interruption. Members of the association hold in regular monthly meetings and make decisions about the activities. Honey produced by the association members has been sold in domestic markets till now but the associations try to find a solution to go to foreign markets. With contacts of the association in 2015; it is planned to export honey to Malaysian market.