Within the public call that was published on April 18 this year, 44 agricultural producers were selected to receive the donation of greenhouses, including 17 women who are owners of registered agricultural farms, or about 40 percent of the total number of selected farmers.
The public call was planned to empower families and enable them to become economically stronger. The selection process was focused on multi-member families, young people who live in the countryside and for whom agriculture is the only source of income, single-parent families and women who own agricultural farms.
Two-thirds of the funds for the Local Fund for the Development of Greenhouse Production, with a total budget of 3 million dinars, were provided by the municipality of Svrljig, and a third by the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation in cooperation with ADM Cares, ADM’s corporate social investment program.
"For several years, the municipality of Svrljig has had successful cooperation with the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, and we are glad to continue through the implementation of new projects. These greenhouses are a great support for farmers who want to expand their production and improve their family farms. We are especially glad that about 40 percent of farmers who receive greenhouses today are women," said Miroslav Marković, Mayor of Svrljig.
Selected agricultural producers who signed the contracts today will receive greenhouses measuring 5x10.5 meters, and will not be obliged to participate with their own funds.
"The municipality of Svrljig has recognized greenhouse production as a potential for agricultural development in this region, and we are glad that it has joined this project. We are also very grateful to our partners from the ADM company, who made this donation possible through ADM Cares," said Milijan Maraš, manager of agricultural projects at the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation.
„The greenhouse will allow my family of six to ensure yields,“ said Petkana Marković, one of the farmers who signed the contract on the donation of greenhouses today.
Small agricultural producers, which are a majority in our country, are heavily influenced by climate change and have difficulty adapting. Moving production from an open field to a sheltered area is one of the ways to adapt and ensure stable yields regardless of weather conditions.