In the report of the European Commission on the implementation of the Government Program of Economic Reforms in Montenegro for 2023, it is written: ..."Progress in the regulation of the business environment". On this occasion, I believe that successful development in agriculture and the rural economy of Montenegro is unthinkable without strong: scientific and technological institutions; research and design and investment groups; state (green budget) institutions and financial functions that will give momentum and strength to the listed factors. Now we have almost nothing of the prominent in Montenegro. The need for the existence of strong specialized agricultural institutions in this economic area is accentuated by climate (temperature) changes on the planet, where according to experts in this area, nothing will be like it was before?!
Economic and development institutions in the time behind us
Does Montenegro today have strong agricultural institutions, as the European Commission insists on in its recommendations? The answer is - no! Next, the question could be: did Montenegro in an earlier development period possess institutional solutions capable of creating and implementing a series of development projects in the economic area in question? The answer is yes, she had!
Among the successful projects and people who beat their time in the past, today there are only two companies that represent the brand and economic pride of Montenegro, namely: "Trebjesa", a beer and juice factory in Nikšić and "13. July" Plantaže ad in Podgorica.
There is also the Agricultural Institute, as a scientific institution, which later formed the Biotechnical Faculty. The results of the work of the mentioned institutions are not known to the wider Montenegrin public?
The typhoon that arose with the arrival of a new - transitional time, blew away almost everything that was created in post-war Montenegro.
Contrary to the above, almost nothing was built in the transition period to replace the earlier more or less successful research development and production structure. Honor to some newly built private companies that deal with more services, and some also produce food (farms). However, this particular production failed to occupy a prominent market and economic place in the development of the Montenegrin economic structure. I am aware of the weight of the spoken words, but I am a supporter of the opinion that after three and more decades in the field of transitional development of agriculture and rural economy, Montenegro must finally "look in the mirror"!
Those who are interested in this matter in more detail can look at the book; Agriculture and the Village in Montenegro - Essays on the Past and the Future, author of this text.
Loser mentality
In addition to the complete absence of development institutions in this important economic branch (everything is centralized, both profession and science and development and politics), as a product of such a situation (strategy), there has been no adequate production and market economy for too long. environment in the analyzed area, which resulted in a drastic drop in spirit and vision (production), what and how should be done in the long-term, significantly changed property relations in the state, in this important economic branch?
The previous question follows, like a dare, the conviction of young people that it is not worthwhile to engage in agriculture and rural development and, as a consequence of such a state of mind, in recent decades we have had a mass flight of young people from Montenegrin villages abroad. Due to this situation, in the future, Montenegro will pay dearly for the mistakes of the transition period.
This devastating development fact is confirmed by the fact that for years there has been no interest or projects among farmers (or other subjects of food production) to engage (withdraw) grants from Abu Dhabi Fund and a favorable loan from the European Development Fund - IPA II, which causes not only damage but also surprise and concern of donors and creditors of the mentioned funds?
Why have we reached this state? It seems to me that the answer is quite simple - there has been a lack of stimulating agricultural policy in Montenegro for too long, and as a result of such a situation, there are no projects, no strengthening of production, and no capable individuals to implement possible projects with a high degree of responsibility for their successful valorization?!
This situation has created an anachronistic dilemma, which is more important to own: institutions of the agrarian system (knowledge) or money? The state of the general spirit in this area is now such that the prevailing opinion is that the state has repaid agriculture and the rural economy with a symbolic annual increase in the green budget, while in 2023 we have the claim of the agricultural authorities that we are at a historical turning point - for the first time in the history of agricultural production in Montenegro, we have enough money in the so-called green (state) budget? In practice, this message does not reach further than the claims of the agrarian authorities, although it has been evident for decades that Montenegro in the agrarian economy suffers from a lack of labor productivity and competitiveness on the market; then the lack of valid investment projects; the lack of capable institutions to implement development projects, with a guarantee for their successful economic effectuation, and only then must we talk about whether or not there is enough quality money?
The practice of the past decades shows that Montenegro always had some "weak" money (domestic and from foreign funds), however, that money was distributed (spilled) around Montenegro from bad to bad, and with such an investment policy, instead of increasing production balances, received their drastic decline and economic losses on all sides, and many young people (farmers) fled to seek salvation outside the borders of their country.
Climatic (temperature) changes
UN experts made sure these days that the problem is not only in domestic actions (or inactions) regarding climate (temperature) changes on the planet. Thus, scientists from this international institution claim that already in 2030, one third of humanity on the planet will be faced with a lack of food, and that nothing will be like it was before?!
On this occasion, international experts further claim that if average temperatures increase by only two degrees, in 2050 half of humanity on the planet will be faced with a food shortage.
Experts in this field further remind that agricultural production will be the most exposed to temperature shock as the most vulnerable economic branch to temperature effects, and appeal to the governments of countries around the world to immediately start implementing innovative research, the results of which would help people survive in the near future.
In this regard, UN experts claim that the hardest hit will be countries that are at a low level of development of their own food production.
Let me conclude this infamous story with trepidation at the possibility that in the near future the population of Montenegro will to compact in Podgorica, Nikšić and on the Montenegrin coast, and that then there may be no need for green loans and historical state support for this economic branch. We can only hope that such a scenario will not occur?
A possible way out of the current crisis
Is there a way out of the situation in which 2/3 of the Montenegrin agricultural area is devoid of life and economy, and what to do with such a harsh fact? Hope he has?! On this occasion, it is necessary for the responsible people in the country to sit down as soon as possible and, with the help of domestic and foreign knowledge, turn a new page in the field innovative green development of Montenegro!
It is known that the applied research and development institutions and their staffing take place painstakingly, expensively and in the long term, which speaks in favor of the fact that it is necessary to start a conversation on this topic as soon as possible, in order to avoid (mitigate) the challenges that stand before us!
And finally, I think that the government in Montenegro should think about the need to form a new one research and development center, equipped with domestic and foreign experts, whereby with help Knowledges help in equipment and financial support should be sought from agriculturally developed countries, in order to establish an agrarian policy in Montenegro as easily and quickly as possible, which would be based on professional and scientific knowledge on the one hand and, on the other, on the practice and knowledge of developed European countries and the world.
The author is an agrarian economist and specialist in agricultural and rural policy
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