Urban agriculture in Bosnia: case of Sarajevo region

• DOI: 10.5513/jcea01/14.4.1401
• Publication Date: 2013-12-16T05:14:21Z
• Authors: Hamid EL BILALI; Sinisa BERJAN; Jasmina Simic; Aleksandra Despot...; Sabrija Cadro; Mirko Kulina
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 11. Sustainability; 0211 other engineering and technologies; 02 engineering and technology; 15. Life on land; 01 natural sciences; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

About 39% of the Bosnian population is urban. The main objective of this work is to get an insight into urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Bosnia with a focus on legal and regulatory framework, governance, and advisory services’ role. Information were collected by a literature review and semi-structured interviews of 30 urban gardeners as well as extension agents and municipal officers in Sarajevo region. The paper analyses references to UPA in the main agricultural development policies in Bosnia; assesses focus on UPA by extension agents; and analyses urban planning and zoning regulations and budget dedicated to agriculture in many municipalities of Sarajevo region. Semi-structured interviews focused also on economic, environmental, aesthetical and social benefits of UPA. Development of UPA requires improving the regulatory framework, promoting multilevel and multi-stakeholder governance, and fostering pluralistic extension and advisory services.