Technical Cooperation project „Perspectives for Young People in Rural Areas“
The consortium FAKT – Smart Kolektiv – Involvas, under leadership of FAKT, won the tender for the implementation of project component 3 of the BMZ-funded project implemented by GIZ back in October 2022. The project component implemented by the consortium aims to improve advisory and networking capacities for young rural entrepreneurs for diversification of their income opportunities. With an initial implementation period of less than 2 years (likely being extended for another year) the project is operating in 10 rural districts in the North- East, East and South-East of Serbia. Target groups are rural youth, with emphasis given to young rural women and disadvantaged ethnic groups such as young Roma. The focal sectors for income diversification are agriculture, specifically agro-processing, rural tourism and other services, including businesses in the waste management/recycling sector. Current activities focus on the following measures:
FAKT Services
- “Design thinking” was introduced as a creative method for developing business ideas in the services of the Regional Development Agencies
- Local partners, mainly NGOs, were supported in developing youth advisory services, with a focus on introducing the “opportunity scouting methodology” in rural districts
- Mentorship capacities of business facilitators were developed in cooperation with two NGOs to support entrepreneurship in Roma communities across Serbia
- In cooperation with agricultural schools, a series of workshops has been implemented in the area of “on-farm food processing”, which has earned a high interest from local farm households
- A tourism potential analysis, conducted in 6 out of the 10 districts, confirmed the business potentials in rural tourism, including cultural and adventure tourism along the Danube River as well as in the mountainous areas of Serbia
- In the next months, a series of trainings and advisory packages will be developed and implemented in partnership with tourism associations and agricultural extension services
- Within the next months, the project will work with financial services on improving outreach of their credit facilities to business starters in rural areas
