The Development Potential of Tourism and Agriculture
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The Development Potential of Tourism and Agriculture A Study of Newly-established Serb-majority Municipalities in Southern Kosovo Working TowaTowardsrds a Stable Multi-Ethnic Kosovo Executive Director: Adrian Zeqiri Contributors Authors: Marija Krstid and Nicola Brassil Editor: Carlo Giovannone Contributor: Gazmen Salijevid Proofreading: Jessica Templeman Acknowledgements ECMI Kosovo would like to thank the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland for its financial support for the development of this publication, in the framework of the project ‘Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for all Newly-established Municipalities in Kosovo’. ECMI Kosovo www.ecmikosovo.org ECMI Kosovo is the principal non-governmental organisation engaged with minority issues in Kosovo, with the overarching aim to develop inclusive, representative, community-sensitive institutions that support a stable multi-ethnic Kosovo. ECMI Kosovo contributes to the developing, strengthening and implementation of relevant legislation, supports the institutionalisation of communities-related governmental bodies, and enhances the capacity of civil society actors and the government to engage with one another in a constructive and sustainable way. Str. Nëna Terezë Nr. 41, Apt. 29, Str. Cika Jovina Nr. 3, 1stFl, 10000 Prishtinë/Priština, Kosovo, 38220 Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North, Kosovo, Tel. +381 (0) 38 224 473 Tel. +381 (0) 64 00 55 488 Copyright © European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) Kosovo, December 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo-copying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the ECMI Kosovo. Str. NënaTerezë Nr. 41, Apt. 29,Prishtinë/Priština, Kosovo, Tel. +381 (0) 38 224 473 www.ecmikosovo.org, [email protected] Contents 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 6 2 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Participants ....................................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Questionnaires .................................................................................................................................. 8 2.3 Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 8 3 AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN RANILUG/RANILLUG AND PARTEŠ/PARTESH ............................... 9 3.1 Number of Farms .............................................................................................................................. 9 3.2 Number of Farmers ......................................................................................................................... 10 3.3 Number of Livestock ....................................................................................................................... 11 3.4 Number of Crops ............................................................................................................................. 11 3.5 Quality of Available Land ................................................................................................................ 11 3.7 The Cooperation System of Farmers .............................................................................................. 12 3.8. Benefits of Agricultural Hubs ......................................................................................................... 13 3.9 Municipality Support for the Development of Agriculture ............................................................. 14 3.10 Open Market ................................................................................................................................. 14 3.11 The Selling of the Agricultural Products........................................................................................ 15 3.12 Competition from Other Municipalities........................................................................................ 15 3.13 Overall Agricultural Production .................................................................................................... 15 3.14 Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................................. 16 4 DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN GRAČANICA/GRAÇANICË, NOVO BRDO/NOVOBËRDË, KLOKOT/KLLOKOT AND ŠTRPCE/SHTËRPCË .......................................................................................... 17 4.1 Number of Visitors .......................................................................................................................... 17 4.2 Tourist Attractions .......................................................................................................................... 18 4.3 Tourist Organisations and Tourist Information Centres ................................................................. 19 4.4 Tourism Web Pages ........................................................................................................................ 20 4.5 The Capacity and Quality of Accommodation ................................................................................ 21 4.6 Availability of Traditional Cuisine .................................................................................................... 22 4.7 Quality of Local Transportation ...................................................................................................... 22 4.8 Connection Roads ........................................................................................................................... 23 4.9 Ecological Conditions ...................................................................................................................... 24 4.10 Affability of the Locals ................................................................................................................... 24 | 3 4.11 Cultural and Other Events ............................................................................................................. 25 4.12 The Existence of Souvenir Shops .................................................................................................. 26 4.13 Desired Change ............................................................................................................................. 26 4.14 Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................................. 27 ANNEX A ................................................................................................................................................ 28 ANNEX B ................................................................................................................................................ 30 | 4 LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ECMI European Centre for Minority Issues TSIGAN Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for all Newly-established Municipalities in Kosovo | 5 1 INTRODUCTION This study was conducted as part of the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) Kosovo’s project ‘Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for all Newly-established Municipalities in Kosovo’ (TSIGAN). The project, which runs from February 2014 to January 2017, aims to promote strong and effective local governments for sustainable growth by increasing the capacities of local governments to fully and effectively implement their roles under the Ahtisaari plan, the Constitution of Kosovo and the Law on Local Self-Government. The objective is to benefit local communities by establishing growth-oriented policies at the municipal level. Furthermore, TSIGAN endeavors to empower local communities and vulnerable groups for inclusive growth. Active participation and engagement of all local communities, and vulnerable and marginalised groups, in the decision-making process, in social life, and in local economic development is desired.1 Prior to the TSIGAN project, ECMI brought about positive changes in a number of Serb- majority Municipalities as part of the ‘Decentralisation Project’. These included the establishment of the ‘Association of Serbian Entrepreneurs’ (Asocijacija Srpskih Privrednika, ASP) in Gračanica/Graçanicë in December 2012, the registration of the ‘Businessmen Association of Novo Brdo/Novobërdë’ in June 2013, and the establishment of the ‘Tourist and Spa Office of Klokot/Kllokot’ (Turisticka Organizacija Spa Klokot, TOSK) in June 2013.2 In 2014, ECMI Kosovo began working to strengthen economic attractiveness and to promote local tourism and agriculture in the Serb-majority Municipalities of Gračanica/Graçanicë, Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, Klokot/Kllokot, Štrpce/Shtërpcë, Ranilug/Ranillug and Parteš/Partesh. In order to realise these goals, ECMI Kosovo has both been working to support and promote existing structures in the Municipalities where they exist, and creating the conditions necessary for the establishment in Municipalities where they are missing.3 In light of these improvements, TSIGAN continues to promote local tourism and agriculture in the Serb majority Municipalities. This study consists of a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the current potential for the development of agriculture and tourism in newly established Serb-majority Municipalities in Southern Kosovo.