TOURISM IN FUNCTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA Tourism as a Generator of Employment (TISC 2019) – Thematic proceedings II AGROTOURISM AS A FACTOR OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT OF SIRINI Ć DISTRICT IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA Goran Maksimovi ć1; Božidar Miloševi ć2; Abstract The authors analyze the current problem from the economic point of view of the rural development of the Sirini ć District and the importance of agro-tourism financing. The authors’ hypothesis is that agro-tourism directs the entire agrocomplex towards the sustainable development of this Serbian enclave. The term agro-tourism points to the inextricable interdependence between agriculture and tourism, thus it is therefore necessary to solve the problems of financing agricultural farms in the Serbian enclave Sirini ć District in Kosovo and Metohija. The authors specifically conceive the place of agro-tourism in the concept of rural development, as well as the place of agro-tourism in the concept of economic development. Also considered in the paper is the link between agro-tourism and regional development. The economic effects of agro-tourism are particularly emphasized. Financial resources are one of the biggest restrictions in the development of agro-tourism, lack of accommodation capacities, accompanying equipment and catering facilities, as well as promotion of the sale of rural tourism products to the population of central Serbia. Key Words: agriculture, agro-tourism, rural development, economic effects JEL classification: M21, L83, Q18 1 Goran Maksimovi ć Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Priština, Faculty of Agriculture, Kopaoni čka Street nn, 38219, Lešak, Serbia, phone: +381 63 419 757, e- mail: [email protected] 2 Božidar Miloševi ć Ph. D., Full Professor, University of Priština, Faculty of Agriculture, Kopaoni čka Street nn, 38219, Lešak, Serbia, phone: +381 64 150 5273. e-mail: [email protected] 172 TOURISM IN FUNCTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA Tourism as a Generator of Employment (TISC 2019) – Thematic proceedings II Introduction Agriculture in the rural area is an important factor in the development of rural agro-tourism. In rural areas, it enables the development of all forms of tourism, while in urban forms of tourism, agriculture is an important economic activity that supplies food and drink to tourist objects and tourists. The development of agriculture in a certain area depends on a number of assumptions, and distinguished in particular are: - The existence of agricultural land, - Favorable climatic, pedological and other conditions for the development of agriculture, - Favorable market-economic environment. The Sirini ć District (Municipality of Štrpce) extends over an area of 250 km 2 with one urban and fifteen rural settlements. It represents a mountainous area with a specific jagged area and an altitude range of 900 m in the Lepenac river valley, up to 2500 m at the highest peak of Ljuboten. One of the five national parks the Šar Mountains is located in the Sirini ć District, founded in 1986, on an area of 22,805 hectares. The National Park was established for the purpose of preserving: forest and highland vegetation and their habitats and populations of wild flora and fauna, especially rich fauna of the butterflies, birds (gray fox, wood grouse, grey partridge deer, crake, Balkan horned lark), mammals (snow and dinar marten, brown bear, wolf, chamois, etc.); a region with a number of characteristic features. The Šar Mountain National Park is a cradle of Serbian spirituality, statehood and history. There are 45 cultural heritage sites in this area, among which there are 14 categorized cultural goods of exceptional significance built in the period from 12 th to 16 th century. There are hermitages and the Monastery of St. Peter Koriški from the 13th century, the church of St. Petka from the 14th century, the church of St. Virgin of Odigitrija from the 14th century, the monastery of Holy Trinity from the 15th century, the remains of Dušan's town and monastery complex St. Archangels from the 14th century near Prizren, and other monuments of culture of greatest national importance (Cvijanovi ć & Ruži ć, 2017). The altitude and climatic conditions indicate that the area of the Sirini ć District is extremely favorable for the development of livestock, fruit and vegetation. In the structure of agricultural land, the Sirini ć District is 173 TOURISM IN FUNCTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA Tourism as a Generator of Employment (TISC 2019) – Thematic proceedings II dominated by pastures with 38.8% and meadows with 25% which indicates that this area is extremely suitable for the development of livestock breeding, in particular sheep farming and goat breeding. By putting into operation the existing cheese factories as well as organized supply of the population to mother flocks of sheep and goats, preconditions for the production of high quality dairy products will be created, the possibility of creating a brand of the Šar mountain cheese known for its quality throughout the old Yugoslavia. There are also conditions for the development of fruit and, above all, berry fruit, since the agroecological conditions of the Sirini ć District enable excellent raspberry quality and high yield per unit area. Raising plantations at several locations would affect the employment of the population (Maksimovi ć et al., 2015). The organic production in Serbian enclaves in Kosovo has a great potential based on the extensive production mostly in hilly – mountainous areas with rich and convenient environment for the organic production of medicinal plants, fruits, vegetables, wine, honey etc., but it still keeps developing. The enclave can realise a high income, and thereby also an economic basis for the sustainable development of multifunctional agricultural holdings in Serbian enclaves, by the production and sale of organic products on local markets. (Maksimovi ć et al., 2017). From the above mentioned data it can be concluded that the Serbian enclave Sirini ć District has enough agricultural land and a sufficient number of agricultural holdings that have their own land; which are two important preconditions that are necessary in the development of agro- tourism in the rural area. From the aspect of healthy nutrition and healthy natural environment, i.e. the primal life needs, through the health of people, it can be said that tourism is dependent on agriculture, although on the other hand it directly or indirectly stimulates the prosperity of agriculture. The very term "agro-tourism" refers to the inseparable interdependence of tourism and agriculture, regardless of whether it is organized through a monofunctional or profit model. The sole meaning of the term "agro- tourism" can be interpreted in many ways. It can be said that agro-tourism represents a form of tourism focused on essential issues, healthy food for the tourists and staying in a healthy environment, through integral 174 TOURISM IN FUNCTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA Tourism as a Generator of Employment (TISC 2019) – Thematic proceedings II development of agriculture, taking into account the aspects of sustainability. The multifunctionality and integral development of agriculture on the one, and the heterogeneity of demands or desires on the other hand (tourism side), with the implementation of the principles of anthropocentrism and ecocentrism, make their connection very complex. An interdisciplinary analysis of the interdependence of these two activities (more tourism from agriculture) profiles agro-tourism as a citadel of total tourism, which has a base in agriculture. Agro-tourism directs the entire agro complex to sustainable development, the production of healthy food and its placement on the market. It does not encourage and support only the orientation of tourism activities to the original meaning of the concept of agro, but to sustainable integral development with primary agriculture in the headquarters. Indirectly through the concept of integral development of agriculture, tourism is faced with a series of activities related to agribusiness (Pejanovi ć et al., 2015). Compatibility and integrativity of the cultural and health values required by the units (tourists, visitors) make it an axiom of supply and healthy rural areas with an organized offer. Furthermore, the compatibility and integrativity of the natural and anthropogenic values of rural areas and tourism with all its specificities (tourist demand, motives, needs, preferences, indifference, experience, etc.) point to the necessity of calculating all functions of tourism, primarily the social and economic ones. (Pejanovi ć, 2013) Agenda 2000 is the most important reform document of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the EU, which reformed the former agricultural policy in rural development policy (Miloševi ć et al., 2010). This document presents a new European perspective on the future of rural development. In this way, the European concept of multifunctional agriculture has been promoted in the EU. Multifunctional agriculture means actions that are not focused solely on increasing production and farming, but also on the other benefits of rural life, such as: 1) the benefit of preserving the environment (biodiversity, flood protection, erosion, conservation of natural landscapes); 2) the benefit of ensuring food security in rural areas; 3) development of rural areas 175 TOURISM IN FUNCTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA Tourism as a Generator of Employment