The European Union, as part of the EU4AGRI program, funded five companies that will provide support to farmers and consultants throughout BiH in business planning and the adoption of new business plan writing skills. The companies are Solvia FME and the Center for Economics from Banja Luka, AgroLink from Sarajevo, FinKonsult from Tuzla and the Lifelong Learning Center from Travnik. So far, around hundred participants had the opportunity to participate in the training.

With this programme, companies that applied for training will get access to the latest learning methods and will be prepared for future challenges. Graduated economists and expert trainers from five companies will guide businesses step by step through business planning training, revealing the secrets of successful business strategies.

These experts will teach companies and entrepreneurs how to tap on the emerging market opportunities, and realise potential financial benefits. At the end of this unique programme, companies will have acquired the knowledge and skills needed to develop solid business plans that will enable their further growth and development.

“We need to build a higher level of awareness in BiH that knowledge can advance development and give us a competitive advantage,” stressed the founder and trainer of the Centre for Economics from Banja Luka, Miloš Todorović.

Joined by fellow trainers from other companies, Todorović steers consultants and farmers through training on how to anticipate challenges, take advantage of opportunities and optimise their business.

“After completing the training, we will be ready to showcase a specific business idea ourselves, from the narrative to the exact numerical data, and also advise some other applicants on funding opportunities,” said one of the participants, Gordana Kovačević. This training will help her improve fruit and juices production in her farm in greater Banja Luka area.

An additional advantage is that business plans prepared as part of the training are developed in accordance with the procedures and formats used in public calls for applications for European Union funds.

“The material is thoroughly addressed in multi-hour workshops. The new and unexpected knowledge that I am acquiring will be greatly beneficial,” said the president of the Union of Local Associations of Farmers of the Municipality of Sanski Most, Husejin Selimović.

Businesses supported within the EU4AGRI project will conduct trainings following the most current learning methods for a period of three months.

“I keep repeating in workshops that today’s society is the ‘knowledge society’, and successful organisations are ‘learning organisations’. This is why I am delighted with our participants and by seeing that they are attending the training because they want to learn and acquire competence, and not just to get yet another certificate”, said trainer Miloš Todorović.

EU4AGRI project is a four-year initiative (2020-2024) aimed to modernise the agri-food sector, opening new and retaining existing jobs, and supporting recovery from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 virus in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The EU4AGRI project is primarily funded by the European Union under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). The project is worth 20 million euros, with joint co-financing by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Czech Development Agency (CzDA).