National Strategy on agriculture and rural development for the period 2021-2027.

This Strategy, based on the provisions of the national Law on agriculture and rural development, represents a main long-term strategic document on which is based the setting and implementation of goals, policies and measures for the development of agriculture and rural areas in the Republic of North Macedonia for the period from the year 2021 until 2027, with the aim of planning the national agricultural policy in order to achieve related legally defined sectoral development goals. This text reflects the continuity of the state interest in agriculture due to its multidimensional importance and especially for ensuring the sustainability of rural areas. The confirmation is the positive upward trend of support allocations that continues in the period after 2020, despite the negative impact caused by the global coronavirus pandemic crisis (COVID-19). .Improving the competitiveness and income sustainability of agricultural holdings, applying environmental practices in production that lead to mitigating and adapting to climate change, and ensuring sustainable rural development are the general goals to be pursued. Goals here identified are aimed to achieve an increase in agricultural production in order to better meet consumption with domestic production, raising the quality of Macedonian agricultural products with added value, ensured food safety and animal welfare, to create conditions for sustainable agriculture that is competitive in the domestic and foreign markets. Improved agricultural performance along with other policy interventions will contribute to improved rural sustainability. At the same time, agricultural practices should be beneficial for the protection and promotion of the environment and the maintenance of biodiversity.
The text is divided into three main parts, each with related thematic subsections (Part I. Condition and identified needs in agriculture and rural; Part II. Objectives, types of policy interventions and measures for the period 2021–2027; Part III. Implementation of National Strategy on agriculture and rural development for 2021-2027). Annex 1 contains SWOT Analysis, and Annex 2 provides records of conducted stakeholder consultations as part of the preparation of this Strategy. In order to address the identified needs of the sector, the interventions of the national agricultural policy in the upcoming strategic period 2021-2027 will need to achieve the following strategic goals for: improving the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, economic sustainability and income of agricultural holdings; application of environmental practices in production that lead to mitigation and adaptation to climate change; ensuring sustainable development of rural areas. These goals will be complemented by the horizontal goal of modernizing the sector by encouraging and sharing knowledge, innovation and digitalization in agriculture and rural areas and encouraging their acceptance by farmers and other stakeholders in the sector.
Specific goals here identified are as follows: supporting the sustainable income of agricultural holdings due to their contribution to improving the security of food supply; strengthen market orientation and increase competitiveness, with a special focus on research, technology and digitalization; improving the position of farmers in the value added chain of agricultural products; contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as greater use of sustainable energy; encouraging sustainable development and efficient management of natural resources such as water, soil and air; contribute to the protection of biodiversity, improvement of ecosystem services and conservation of natural habitats and landscapes; attracting young farmers and facilitating the development of businesses in rural areas; promoting employment, growth, social inclusion and local development in rural areas, including bio-economy and sustainable forestry; improving agriculture's response to society's demands for food health aspects, including food safety, nutritional composition and sustainability, food ending up as waste, and animal welfare. Water resources management (investments in construction of new facilities and rehabilitation and reconstruction of existing water management facilities, irrigation, rational and efficient water use), agricultural land and resources management (includes soil fertility, soil quality improvement), forest management, raising hunting and hunting tourism to a level attractive to foreign guests, strengthening advisory services within the Knowledge and Innovation System, farmers-led platforms (also family farmers), system for compulsory training and education in agriculture, emergency situation measures, interventions in livestock subsectors for production of meat and milk and eggs, production of wine and wine grapes, interventions in the fruit and vegetable subsector, fruit and vegetable scheme and school milk scheme, beekeeping, livestock production, are also topics covered in this text.