Agriculture strategy until 2030

The Strategy adopts a vision and plan for the implementation of strategic transformation of agriculture and rural areas in Croatia for the period until 2030. This Strategy takes into account the strategic frameworks of the sector and from territorial, national and EU strategic planning processes. The strategy supports the ambition of the European Green Plan to transform the European economy into a greenhouse gas-free economy by (i) further reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector and strengthening its capacity to adapt to climate change; (ii) mobilize the sector for the transition to a circular economy; (iii) seize the opportunities of digital and biotechnologies; and (iv) transform agri-food systems to become suppliers of safe, high-quality food, a driver of better life in rural areas and a guarantor of ecosystem and biodiversity conservation.
The vision of agricultural development is shaped by four strategic goals: 1) increasing the productivity and competitiveness of the agri-food sector; 2) strengthening the sustainability and resilience of agricultural production to climate change; 3) reconstruction of the rural economy and improvement of living conditions in rural areas; and horizontal objective 4) encouraging innovation in the agri-food sector. Each of the strategic goals is related to one of the development needs of Croatian agriculture. In order to meet them, the interventions outlined in the implementation plan are designed. The activities will be implemented through targeted measures financed from the state budget of the Republic of Croatia or from the European Union budget in accordance with the future strategic plan for the common agricultural policy (CAP). All strategic goals are aimed at improving the rural economy, and their fulfillment will contribute to the overall economic development of Croatia. The Agriculture Strategy to 2030 (hereinafter: the Strategy) suggests that this will be achieved by increasing agricultural productivity in an environmentally and climate-sustainable way, while strengthening the links between production and markets and creating new jobs in the rural economy. The strategy places great emphasis on innovation as a key factor in improving the economic development of agriculture. The basic requirement of the Strategy is more efficient use of public funds through better targeting of agricultural aid and funds for rural development. In order to achieve the strategic goals from the Strategy, it is necessary to respond to the 15 development needs of the Croatian agri-food sector (Development need 1: Increase the added value of agricultural production; Development need 2: Increase the fairness of income support; Development need 3: Improve connectivity in the chain from producer to consumer; Development need 4: Improve the entrepreneurial skills of producers in the agri-food sector; Development need 5: Align production with market requirements; Development need 6: Encourage greater participation of producers in quality systems; Development need 7: Improve the skills of the agri-food workforce; Development need 8: Improve the environmental sustainability of agricultural practices; Development need 9: Improve coherence between production systems and environmental conditions; Development need 10: Use risk management instruments more and more effectively; Development need 11: Improve the functioning of the agricultural land market; Development need 12: Improve coordination between interventions in rural areas; Development need 13: Improve public infrastructure in rural areas; Development need 14: Encourage investment in technology and innovation; Development need 15: Improve access to research and development and the use of knowledge and technology). The implementation of activities that will respond to the stated development needs will achieve the following strategic goals and priorities of the Strategy: Strategic goal I: Increasing the productivity and competitiveness of the agri-food sector-Priority 1.1: Increasing the efficiency and added value of agricultural holdings; Priority 1.2: Ensuring higher and more stable revenues for small producers; Priority 1.3: Diversification of the market for Croatian agri-food products; Priority 1.4: Integration of SMEs and young farmers into food-agricultural value chains; Priority 1.5: Facilitate access to strategic market segments. Strategic objective II: Strengthening the sustainability and resilience of agricultural production to climate change-Priority 2.1: Improving sustainable soil, water and biodiversity management; Priority 2.2: Reduce vulnerability to climate change and encourage low-emission production; Priority 2.3: Facilitate access to agricultural land. Strategic objective III: Rebuilding the rural economy and improving living conditions in rural areas-Priority 3.1: Poverty reduction in rural areas; Priority 3.2: Job creation in rural areas; Priority 3.3: Accelerate the transition to a green rural economy. Strategic objective IV: Encouraging innovation in the agri-food sector-Priority 4.1: Increase public and private investment in research and development; Priority 4.2: Improving technology transfer.
Structure of the Strategic Planning Act: After presenting the situation in the sector (Chapter 2) and the development vision (Chapter 3), the Strategic Planning Act highlights the main opportunities for the development of the Croatian agri-food sector (Chapter 4 and Annex II). an overview of the strategic goals, priorities and needs of the sector (Chapter 5). Implementation mechanisms are then set out to meet the needs of the sector in the form of a proposed intervention plan (Chapter 6), including how these interventions can be transferred to selected sub-sectors (Annex III). The links between the strategic objectives and needs set out in this Strategy and the future Strategic Plan under the CAP are set out (Chapter 7). Finally, the Strategy offers a framework for monitoring and evaluating results organized according to relevant performance indicators (Chapter 8).