SCAP as a National Measure: A New Financing Model as an Investment-Driving Tool of the Ministry of Agriculture

This initiative aims to refine and enhance Serbia’s agricultural support models, building on the lessons learned and successes of the Serbia Competitive Agriculture Project (SCAP). It will evaluate SCAP’s approaches, including its 50:40:10 co-financing model, and assess their potential integration into Serbia’s broader agricultural policy framework. This work will ensure alignment with national priorities, such as the Agricultural and Rural Development Strategy 2025–2034, and international frameworks, including the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), IPARD III Programme, OECD Competitiveness Outlook, the FAO Framework for Sustainable Agriculture, and the European Green Deal.

Specific objectives:

Policy Framework and Strategic Alignment

Evaluate SCAP’s operational framework and its alignment with Serbia’s Agricultural and Rural Development Strategy (2014–2024) and its upcoming successor strategy for 2025–2034.

Ensure compatibility with the IPARD III Programme, emphasizing integration with Serbia’s EU accession goals and alignment with the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) objectives.

Cross-reference findings with the OECD Competitiveness Outlook, focusing on rural development, agricultural support systems, and innovation trends in Serbia.

Scalability and Fiscal Sustainability

Analyze the fiscal sustainability of adopting SCAP’s 50:40:10 co-financing model as a national measure.

Assess its ability to mobilize resources from EU pre-accession funds, national budgets, and private sector investments, ensuring cost-effectiveness and scalability.

Provide insights on how this model can address challenges such as farm fragmentation, demographic shifts in rural areas, and limited access to modern agricultural technologies.

Stakeholder Engagement and Feasibility

Map key stakeholders, including public institutions, producer organizations, agribusinesses, and international donors, to identify synergies and potential roles in evaluating and potentially scaling SCAP principles — including the 50:40:10 model — within the national agricultural policy framework.

Organize consultations and workshops to assess the feasibility of transitioning SCAP’s principles into broader agricultural policy frameworks.

Engage local governments and rural communities to ensure policy relevance and inclusivity.

Strategic Recommendations and Implementation Pathway

Develop a comprehensive set of recommendations for integrating SCAP-inspired approaches into Serbia’s agricultural policies.

Create an actionable roadmap outlining legal, institutional, and operational steps for adopting enhanced agricultural support models, including timelines, milestones, co-financing, blended advisory mechanisms, and digitalized support processes piloted through SCAP.

Economic, Social, and Environmental Impact Assessment

Project the anticipated economic benefits of scaling SCAP-inspired models, focusing on improved productivity, market access, and sector competitiveness.

Assess social outcomes such as job creation, rural livelihoods, and community resilience.

Evaluate environmental impacts, highlighting opportunities to incorporate climate-smart agriculture practices and enhance resource efficiency, following relevant ESMF/ESMP principles for potential future application.

Global Best Practices and Applicability to Serbia

Review successful agricultural support models from EU and OECD countries, particularly those that emphasize sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity.

Identify lessons learned and adapt these practices to Serbia’s unique agricultural landscape, leveraging its climatic conditions, land resources, and strategic position in the Western Balkans.

Ensure that all recommendations reflect global trends while respecting Serbia’s cultural and economic context.