When a man is faced with a problem that he cannot solve by himself, he reaches out to talk to a neighbor and a close friend. And lo and behold, after the conversation, he returned home in awe, because in the conversation with his friend he found a saving solution for the trouble that befell him. In Montenegro, the conversation on the topic of agriculture and rural development has had no real voice for decades. Everyone knows everything, everyone is looking for something and slandering, and the problems are piling up and are beyond the reach of human intelligence? What would the people say "everything is left in God's hands"!
Recently, the daily press has been paying more and more attention to the situation in the field of agriculture and rural development in Montenegro, which is commendable and respectful. Because, turn it around, our economic, social and development future is in production and on the market.
Thus, daily and periodical newspapers present different views and opinions to the public in order to extort from the agrarian authorities (read the government) an answer to the question, how to start the wheel of exit from the multi-decade crisis, which plagues this vital economic branch? Highlighted, especially since it is claimed that it is in a hurry and that Montenegro is in the lobby of the society of European developed countries.
On the other hand, the Montenegrin agrarian government occasionally announces some announcements, but never "jumps into the murky water of farm transition" and development, and swims towards the coast where more sun and a more comfortable life can be seen?
But let me tell you what is the goal of my message.
First, I expect that my opponents and I will agree that the agony endured by the Montenegrin agricultural and rural economy is going on for an unacceptably long time?
Secondly, I expect that we will not even argue about the question of who is to blame for the extremely worrying state in which this economic branch is located? Emphasized even before it is known that the culprits for the situation in the Montenegrin rural economy must be sought in relation to: the state and its institutions - business entities (farmers) in the field. We have nothing more to ask from nature than what she selflessly gave us.
Finally, among the parties that have been at odds for too long, it is to be expected that there is no dispute about the fact that it is the elementary right of every human being to seek better conditions for his life and work compared to what is offered in this particular case by his grandfather's hearth. And so, step by step, we irrefutably come to the conclusion that for the current situation in the economic area in question, the only and largest the culprit the state, i.e. its agrarian authority, i.e. the lack of an adequate agrarian policy (strategy), which would correspond with European practice?!
Now, when a certain positive climate is felt when it comes to the accession of Montenegro to the European Union, it is felt that the "satara lady" would be happy to see us in her environment, and that it could be a port of salvation, not only for the ailing Montenegrin agricultural economy, but also for the state, which in due course would leave holding the lantern at the rear of the agrarian developed countries of Europe, to someone else?
May I be allowed to state on this occasion that Montenegro has been around for too long at a crossroads of sorts, in the mentioned economic area, from which several road routes branch off, and the competent authorities are still not clear which road direction Montenegro should take in order to get closer to the countries of developed Europe more easily and quickly?
Strange are the heavenly ways in time and space. I mean, in a better time and a completely different state structure, the Montenegrin agricultural economy was a serious competitor on the markets of Milan, Vienna, Munich, Frankfurt, Prague and Warsaw (not to mention the Yugoslav market area), with its early and late products. from the warm Mediterranean and continental areas. Those who remember longer say that it was Age of Pericles in the development of Montenegrin agriculture, its market and development. Then the actors of that era conquered their time and became economic and social legends during their lifetime. So let someone say that we were not part of Europe then? But many people don't like this story, and you don't live on memories, so let me return to our reality.
And our reality is gray that it cannot be gray. We have long escaped from progress (with exceptions, such as production in viticulture and winemaking, production of honey, beer, olive oil and meat industry) and Europe, and not only are we not present in its markets, but we have questioned survival in our own home?!
But, despite the highlighted fact, the "Old Lady" treats us with patience, encourages us and "honors" us with her capital (non-refundable and credit) and offers us all kinds of political and intellectual help, from knowledge to reform recommendations for which her (European ) experts say that there is no progress.
However, we, being us, do our own thing, we chose a strategy of silence and that's where we are. Whoever does not believe in this story, should look at the official analysis, statistical data, especially the data from the preliminary results of the 2023 census, which refer to the rural area (our base) and its life and economic reality. Everything will be much clearer to him.
In addition to monetary contributions, European experts warn us (disregarding the political story and its decisions) that in vain every effort in a positive direction, if not we reform and start building the institutions of the agrarian system, look for solutions in the profession and science, be competitive and sustainable in what we do, etc. Simply, they say that we should start building a business environment from which young people from the countryside will not run away from us around the world? But again, advice is in vain and no one will hear that story, only shouts, mani, mani...!
European experts go so far as to show us that their (European) past and present in the field of agriculture and rural development clearly point to four cornerstones on which any good agricultural policy rests: (a) Knowledge and as its product, good and sustainable development projects; (B) A good land policy, without which any talk of progress is a wasted effort; (C) Money - investments, about which we killed ourselves from many years of fruitless talk, and (D) Strong specialized institutions of the agrarian system, which know and can, in community with businessmen (farmers) on the ground, change and transform our obscure reality into modern European-type production, market, economic and development practices every day!
Opponents of such recommendations say that this story is outdated (obsolete) and that the "powerful hand of the neoliberal market concept" will solve all our problems in this area and put things in their proper place?! However, their claims have been refuted for decades by our everyday life and the reality we have in this economic branch, and so indefinitely.
What can be said without reservation at this moment about our agrarian reality and policy is that the only thing worse than the "sprinkling" model (system) of work that has existed in our country for too long is our traditional cry "Ate, sokolovi"!
In addition to financial support, European scientific experts, on the other hand, do not forget to warn us that every good agrarian policy passes the test of maturity, if it is headed by professionals (experts) who know that at every opportunity they manage the whims, detours and laws by which this specific and complex economic branch abounds!
The path from a traditional Montenegrin farm to a European cluster, it is long and tiring; it requires a lot of knowledge and skill; and overall it is expensive. Therefore, one should be approached now hybrid intermediate period, in which the existing state sanitized, and only after that did the implementation of the new Montenegrin and European project begin green strategy, the aim of which would be to let's build a modern agricultural and tourist farm from a traditional farm European cluster. Only then will we be able to discuss the strength of market and economic logic, while today little of our production, market, economy and development has anything in common with contemporary European practice?! We have to wait and see what the Government and Parliament of Montenegro intend to do in this direction?!
Bonus video:
