AGRIDEA is giving technical back up and methodological expertise to a Serbian local NGO, IDA, based in Western Serbia, for setting up an appropriate identification, protection and promotion of traditional agricultural and agro food production, considered as one of the more valuable asset of the mountainous and hilly areas of Western Serbia. The Ministry of Agriculture Water Management and Forestry is leading since March 2006 a working group aiming at promoting a Geographical Indication (GI) system for agricultural product in Serbia. The project consists practically in implementing the EU regulation 510/2006 about protected denomination of origin as well as the EU regulations about control and certification. It is in accordance with Serbian PRSP which emphasizes the high level of poverty of mountainous areas and the necessity to define a well adapted rural development strategy. The protection and promotion of the traditional products is also one of the priorities defined by the ministry of agriculture.

This project offers the possibility to transform the current disadvantages of these traditional products (high production costs, low volumes, lack of standardisation and short distribution chains) into comparative advantages (added-value generated by the specificity and the quality of the products). Therefore, the activities are mainly supporting the implementation on a positive and coherent way of a geographic indication system in the concerned municipalities. Main activities are :

To make an exhaustive inventory of the traditional agricultural and agri-food products. The aim is to build a precise knowledge of  the agricultural and food heritage of the region.  This inventory includes a case study of each of the products.

To carry out an information campaign directed to producers and local institutions. The aim of this campaign is to inform the local actors about the opportunities offered by the law on Geographic Indications and about the ways to register the products. The campaign will also emphasize the necessity to link the labelling of the products with an efficient food quality and food safety control (Veterinary law and law on food safety).

To provide a technical support to products having a high potential as protected geographic indication. The first  activity will identify traditional products having a high potential for geographic indications. The technical support consists in supporting the farmers in registering the products as protected geographic indications.

To set up an efficient control and certification system. The national and international credibility of the geographic indication system, as well as other labels (i.e. organic products, regional quality labels, etc.), relies on an efficient control of the production (method of production and quality control) and certification of the producers the certification gives the right to use the label). In Serbia, this crucial issue is still to be researched and clarified which is the reason why the project is particularly emphasizing on it.

To organise the promotion of the traditional products of Western Serbia. This activity targets the products registered as Protected geographic Indication (for example Kajmak from Kraljevo) but also a collective promotion of the traditional products of western Serbia. The national market is considered here as a priority, but international market is also targeted.