Strengthening the Capacities of BALKANIA to Promote Agritourism

A.B.A.T. –  BALKANIA  Balkan Association of  Alternative Tourism

Projekt :    AGRITOURISM  

Contract :    MKLLP-LDV-A.2.4-2013-0011

Strengthening the Capacities of BALKANIA to Promote Agritourism

Grant from

LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME  – LEONARDO DA VINCI   MOBILITY

12 months   –  2013  

Tourism represents the third largest economic sector in the European Union (EU) and, despite all challenges as current economic crisis, tourism sector is forecast to grow.

In RM tourism in general, including rural tourism in all its forms (agritourism, ecotourism, cultural/monastery, wilderness sports, ethno-gastronomic, hunting, spa) is small and well below the potential.

In order to overcome this situation several state level initiatives have begun. Program for tourism development 2011-15 was adopted by the Government and sector has started to be supported through appropriate measures, policies and specific projects for constructing modern tourist infrastructure and promoting the RM as an attractive travel destination. Agritourism is one of priorities.

The overall objective of the project is to strength human resources of BALKANIA to be able to promote agritourism by linking agriculture and tourism.

Driven by global trends of concentration, low commodity prices, and rising input costs, farmers worldwide are looking for new opportunities to diversify and add revenue streams to their businesses. A popular and growing opportunity is agritourism.

BALKANIA has initiated activities in agritourism in the wider region of Pelagonija. The initiative involves a number of national institutions and other local stakeholders.

In the village of Babino near Demir Hisar families have already been identified that have adequate facilities available and are willing to operate in agritourism. Further details in Annex 2–The Babino Concept.

But strengthening of human capacities is crucial for development of agritourism. BALKANIA has recognized the need that its members as well as representatives from department for rural development in Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy (MAFWE) and local stakeholders, should receive a specific training related to development and promotion of agritourism.

For the purpose of implementation of trainings of the local population, BALKANIA has received from the Municipality a facility (the building of the former local government) that will be reassigned to a training centre where the local population can get trained, inter alia, in agritourism.

Before starting the training in agritourism for local population, BALKANIA trainers will get trained first. The training of trainers is compliant with the BALKANIA work programme, but also with the strategic documents of the Municipality of Demir Hisar who supports the initiative by BALKANIA to open a training centre that should facilitate the local population initiate tourist business more easily. 

The objective of this tailored made training course is to increase the competitiveness of the individuals in the field. In particular, the proposed project offers in-depth training in various aspects of agritourism targeting at the enhancement of agritourism capacity building at the interregional area. Hence, it will introduce to them new and would improve technical skills in business operation and services’ efficiency management connected to business viability.

Upon the end of the 7-day course, participants will enable to acquire best practices on:

• The identification of targets and deployment of a competitive agritouristic product

• The identification of a niche market capacities and effective product promotion

• The implementation of Quality Assurance methods

• Costing projections

• Funding opportunities

• The application of appropriate legal regulations

• The implementation of innovative SME management methodologies regarding resources 

• Study visits and case study development

In the region, AFS demonstrates the biggest capacity to develop appropriate training options on agritourism. AFS offers different types of formal and non formal education and training in agritourism and no doubt that participants will receive one of the best organized agritourism training in the region.

The planned training will take place in AFS campus in autumn 2013.

Partners TFA and BALKANIA will organize and implement a one-week training seminar, which will take place in Greece because BALKANIA members need to become trained in the specificities related to agritourism – a concept relatively new to most of the  people in the country, even to farming school teachers.

   AFS has been a leader in the rural development of Greece throughout the twentieth century and today a formal division of Lifelong Learning offers wide range of courses and seminars on different topics including agritourism. 

    An important feature of the school is well developed network of partners – farms which are used for the purpose of implementation of practical lessons.

All participants who successfully complete the training will receive a Europass Mobility certificate.

Also, the host partner, AFS, will issue their own certificates and will award them to the participants who successfully complete the training.

AFS will carry out an assessment of the acquired knowledge and skills of the trained teachers by means of testing.

Whether or not the overall objective of the project has been accomplished will be assessed in consultation and cooperation between national and international project coordinators.

BALKANIA develops cooperation with a number of organisations/institutions in tourism sector in the region and broader. The cooperation with AFS still isn’t official established. However communication has been started.

BALKANIA considers this training to take place in AFS for a number of reasons. AFS is the most advanced of all regional institutions which provide education specifically in agritourism. Advantages of cooperation with AFS are:

– learning from educational institution that provide knowledge to all possible stakeholders in the tourism sector as well as in agriculture sector

– many years of experience in the agritourism sector (as part of its university education, AFS provides the opportunity for education in agritourism).

– better understanding of the lifelong learning program which can offer a wide range of adult training and education, exchange programs and study visits on topics related to the agritourism sector, the environment, rural tourism, culture, agribusiness, etc.

This experience can be beneficial to the participants in developing similar programs that they can offer to the local population in the regions where agritourism has potential. Short trainings can be helpful for local population in order to increase access to certain funds, such as the IPARD program and Rural development program at the moment.

Additionally AFS participates in a number of international activities and programs that concern continuing vocational training, adult education, e-learning, employment support and information

Yet another reason to implement the training in Greece is that the structure of Greek farms and the range and volume of their production is very similar to that in Macedonia.

BALKANIA

www.balkania-association.com

Заинтересираните  членови на  Балканија за учество во проектот   треба да  се пријават на  маил  и да достават  СВ 

Во склад со досегашното делување на  Балканија  и долгорочниот  проект што асоцијацијата  го  спроведува   во Општина  Демир Хисар  заедно со општината  каде  Балканија    оформува  и развива  „ Регионален  центар за  обуки  за  рурален  развој -туризам и земјоделие „  во  с. Бабино  и целта  на  апликацијата   за создавање  структура  која  ке  го развива  Агри -туризмот како дел од  одржлив економски развојво целата  република  и посебно  во Пелагоноскиот  регион  во  општина  Демир Хисар ,Општина  Битола (потпелисрските  села ) , и  Општина  Новаци  .

Еден од основните критериуми за  селекција  на  учесниците  на  проектот за  Мобилност  покрај тоа  што се  членови  на   Балканија  –  Да   имаат  искуство во работење  со проекти –  да имаат активно  учество во последните  2  години  во областа на  туризмот и  учество  во имплементација на  проекти ( свои  или како  партнери и соработници)  со невлладини  организации или проекти  на  општините.  Нивните  активности  и  делување да се поврзани со  делување  на  локално   или централно ниво за  развој на  алтернативните  форми на  туризам  и потикнување и влијание  врз  локален  економски  развој , развој на  рурални средини  и развој на  земјоделието.

1         Од  Асоцијацијата  Балканија  како носител на  идните  активности за  развој на  алтернативниот  туризам  и  Агри – туризмот  предвидено е да  аплицираат покрај  претседателот  како менаџер  на проектот   уште 6(шест )   активни   и  2 (два) помлади   членови  волонтери    на  асоцијацијата  кои  во иднина  ќе   делуваат континуирано  и долгорочно  во реализација на програмата на  асоцијацијата  и развој на  рурален одржќив  туризам  во наведениот  регион  и  на целатеритоорија на  Републиката .

–          9   учесници од  Балканија

2         Останатите   4 (три )  учесници  во  проектот  ќе бидат определени  од  пријавените  на   конкурсот  што Балканија  го објави  а  се  делегирани од   наведените  институции  кои ги  исполнуваат   критериумите  и ќе  докажат мотивираност  за идна делување  на  развој на  овие  области  и  ќе  овозможат идна  соработка  . Овие кандидати  ќе  бидат селектирани  според  областа на делување и  комплементарноста  со програмата на проектот и според  направена  селекција  и предлог од наведените  институции.

Од  овие  општини од  регионот  да земат учество по еден од  општина . 

1   учесник  од  Општина  Демир  Хисар

1   учесник  од  Општина  Битола

1  учесник   од    Општина  Новаци

1  учесник   Представник од  Факултетот  за  туризам  и менаџмент – Скопје

За  кандидатите што ќе  бидат дел од  обуката  од  Асоцијацијата   Балканија   одлучува  управниот одбор   на  предлог  од  ЛДВ  комитетот  по  направените  интервјуа  и извршена   селекција,   според   пропишаните  критериуми  од  пријавените  членови  на  асоцијацијата  . Огласот   за останатите  кандидати  е  објавен на   Веб  страната  на  Асоцијацијата ,  со директна покана  ( преку маил пошта ) на  Општините  , невладини организации и  соработници  на  асоцијацијата,

Овие  критериуми  ги  пропиша  ЛДВ  комитетот  составен од  3  члена  :

      Владо Србиновски – Претседател                            

      Христа  Најданов   – Член на  управен  одбор      

     Леонида  Пенка  Баша  – член