The project "Frame.Org Montenegro - Harmonising the regulatory framework for the organic food production in Montenegro with the regulation (EU) 2018/848" ends on January 23rd, 2024 with an International Conference in Podgorica "International symposium on organic agriculture of Western Balkan region" organized by CIHEAM Bari in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management in Montenegro, MOAN - Mediterranean Organic Agriculture Network, and with technical support of IFOAM Organics Europe.
The final conference was attended by the Montenegrin Minister of Agriculture, S.E., Vladimir Joković, the Ambassador of Italy in Montenegro (on behalf of the donor), S.E. Andreina Marsella, the Deputy Director of CIHEAM Bari, Biagio Di Terlizzi, the Director of IFOAM Organics Europe, Eduardo Cuoco, the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Water Management, Miroslav Cimbaljević, MOAN (Mediterranean Organic Agriculture Network) delegates from the Ministries of Agriculture of Albania, Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, Greece, Kosovo, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Palestine, Serbia, Slovenia and Tunisia, and representatives of SWG - Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group in South-Eastern Europe.
FRAME.ORG Project, co-financed by the CEI - Central European Initiative/KEP - Know-How Exchange Programme sponsored by the CEI fund at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) contributed by Italy, implemented by CIHEAM Bari, has aimed to strengthen the organic legislative framework, contributing to the EU harmonization process and, subsequently, to enhance the capacities of SMEs to position their organic products on the national and international market.
Starting from the current state-of-the-art, the draft of the new national organic farming law and future prospects of the sector in Montenegro, experts from CIHEAM Bari and Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry worked jointly with officials from the Montenegrin Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management to finalize four rulebooks on: plant and livestock production, imports, collection, packaging, transport, and storage of organic products in line with the EU regulation 2018/848.
The initiative has represented another important step in the cooperation pathway for the development of organic agriculture in Western Balkans, a longstanding commitment of CIHEAM Bari in the area. The project outcomes and the lessons learnt have been also shared within the broader network of MOAN, active promoter of cooperation and know-how exchange on organics between countries, of which Montenegro has been member since 2006.
The good results of the project shall be a model for further cooperation activities to support the development of sustainable agriculture.
