In the premises of the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences at the University of Sarajevo, on March 5, 2024, as part of the activities of the SMARTWATER project, a workshop entitled “Sustainable Water Management in Agriculture in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Improving Research and Innovation Capacities” was held.
The aim of this workshop was to involve all stakeholders in the consideration and improvement of the created plan development of research and innovation capacities of the University of Banja Luka (UNI-BL) and the University of Sarajevo (UNSA), and thus contribute jointly to creating an environment that stimulates the development of innovation capacities in the field of sustainable water management in agriculture.
The workshop was opened by introductory speeches from the dean of the faculty, Prof. Dr. Muhamed Brka, and the coordinator of the SMARTWATER project, Prof. Dr. Mihajlo Marković.
Afterwards, two lectures were held as part of the workshop. Assoc. Prof. Sabrija Čadro gave a lecture on the activities carried out during the implementation of the SMARTWATER project, emphasizing the most important results achieved during the project. Special emphasis was placed on “smart” approaches to water management, which involve the use of software tools and remote monitoring. In addition, the results related to conducted educations, workshops, and publishing of scientific papers during the implementation of this project were presented. Furthermore, participants were informed about upcoming activities. The presentation by Assoc. Prof. Alen Mujčinović focused on the activities of working group 4 and the created plan for strengthening the scientific excellence and enhancing the innovation capacities of UNI-BL, UNSA, and other institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Based on collected data, in-depth interviews, and three meetings (workshops) of stakeholder groups, a draft plan for strengthening research and innovation capacities in sustainable water management in agriculture was created.
This plan involves three directions of action:
- Research and Innovation (R&I)
- Water Management System (AWM)
- Identification and financing of local priorities for R&I in AWM
The total number of participants at the workshop was 55, consisting of representatives of agricultural producers, private companies, state institutions such as the Federal Institute for Agropedagogy, the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska, the Agency for the Water Management of the Sava River Basin, non-governmental and educational institutions from the Federation and Republika Srpska.
Through discussion, the attendees provided feedback, suggestions, and recommendations on each of the aforementioned areas of action. These valuable comments will be an integral part of the final report and will be a valuable resource for further research and activity planning in this field.
The main conclusion of the workshop implied a pronounced need to continue communication on these important issues, and it was proposed to create a network – a platform that will enable continued communication of all interested parties even after the completion of the SMARTWATER project.
Published works so far:
Assessment of eco-efficiency of maize production with and without irrigation in Bosnia and Herzegovina https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2023.271
Roadmap for consolidating research and innovation in water management in agriculture in Bosnia and Herzegovina
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2024.108699
Assessment of the impact of climate change on irrigation water needs in Mediterranean conditions—a review of methodological approaches focusing on maize crops
https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010117
Analysis of empirical methods for estimating reference evapotranspiration in different climatic zones of Bosnia and Herzegovina
https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010117
Comparative analysis of advanced models for precise irrigation of maize https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010117
