The Institute of Agricultural Economics frequently participates in the realization of long-terms projects of the Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection, as well as in the projects of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Mining and Spatial Planning, and the projects of agricultural sector adjustment that the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic Serbia is implementing in the process of the country’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the European Union (EU).
The unequivocal commitment of the Republic of Serbia to the European integrations requires a redefinition of the role and importance of agriculture, the food industry and rural development, in comparison to the previous documents and practices. Hence, the Institute estimated that the time is right to create a new, clear conceptual framework in the form of a special document – the Strategy, as a response to the key issues of further development of agriculture, the food industry and rural areas in villages, towns and municipalities. The main goal of creating strategies is to develop a strategic document that will be the platform for agricultural policy measures that will enable the implementation of the Strategy and the European integration processes in agriculture, as well as the institutional arrangements necessary for the implementation of the Strategy which are in line with the realistic capabilities and able to answer the requirements for Serbia’s accession to the EU. In the past two years, the Institute has completed several important development strategies and a few more beyond the borders of Serbia are currently in progress. The Institute employs 26 people, including seven PhDs, nine holders of a M.Sc., eight research associates. The general sector employs five people.
Activity
In the area of macroeconomic researches
- examination of parity prices in agriculture and the food industry;
- calculation of production costs and agricultural product prices;
- market research of agricultural and food products;
- regionalization of agricultural production and evaluation of conditions for production of organic and products with geographic origin;
- creating long-term integral development strategies of local communities, municipalities, regions and the entire Republic and operationalizing them to the level of development programs and projects;
- creating socio-economic and environmental revitalisation programs of local community resources in rural areas;
- creating projects of rural infrastructure development and complex programs of rural area organization;
In the area of microeconomic researches
- creating programs and development models for family farms in accordance with the structural changes in agriculture and in villages on one hand, and measures of agricultural policy on the other;
- estimation of company capital value and creating restructuring programs and enterprise development strategies in agriculture and food industry;
- examining company market position and defining marketing activity strategies;
- creating technological projects for agricultural production and the food industry, pre-investment and investment studies and programs, feasibility studies and environmental impact evaluation,
- creating business plans;
- adjustment of existing enterprise quality systems to the requirements of ISO 9000:2000 series of standards, management of quality systems, certified quality system management upgrading – ISO 9001:2000 by applying the HACCP concept, external review before the certification and surveillance process;
- establishing of environmental management systems in accordance with ISO 14000 series of standards,
- preparation of laboratories for accreditation regarding technical adequacy according to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025;
- establishing food safety management systems according to the requirements of ISO 22000 standards;
In the area of advisory services and education
- assistance in defining organizational schemes of agricultural enterprises;
- assistance in the process of establishing agencies for rural development and in their work on different levels;
- staff education in economics and organization of agricultural enterprises and in agricultural production modernization,
- education in the area of rural development for interested subjects on all levels,
- staff training in presentation of ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14000, ISO 17025, ISO 22000 standards and HACCP concept;
In the area of publishing, statistics and informatics support
software assistance in planning and designing for family farms, companies, producer associations; municipalities and other users in agribusiness and rural development;
publishing and statistical data base formatting for domestic users and international statistical publications