Agriculture for Jobs and Growth in the Western Balkans : A Regional Report
The agri-food industry, comprising agricultural inputs, primary agricultural production, off-farm food processing, food distribution, food retail and consumption, and other food-related services, is one of the most important industries in the Weste...
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2019
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/622481563185787551/Agriculture-for-Jobs-and-Growth-in-the-Western-Balkans-A-Regional-Report http://hdl.handle.net/10986/32204 |
| Summary: | The agri-food industry, comprising
agricultural inputs, primary agricultural production,
off-farm food processing, food distribution, food retail and
consumption, and other food-related services, is one of the
most important industries in the Western Balkans in terms of
turnover, jobs and geographic scale. Average turnover of the
agri-food industry accounts for 24 percent of total
manufacturing turnover in the Western Balkan (WB) region
compared to the European Union (EU) average of 15 percent
(in 2011) and it is more evenly distributed geographically
than other industries. Global evidence suggests that
agribusiness has the highest short-term indirect employment
impact, where creating one job generates more than double
the number of jobs in the rest of the economy. The sector’s
broad geographic footprint, multiple functions and
cross-sector linkages could transform the industry into a
powerful driver of value addition, income diversification
and innovation in rural areas. The objective of this
regional study is to examine how further investment,
modernization and transformation of the agriculture and
rural economy can contribute to job creation and economic
growth in the Western Balkans, while highlighting how better
public policies and deeper European integration can help
take this process forward. The study aims to better
understand the features of agri-food employment in the
region, including its potential to generate more, better and
more inclusive jobs and to identify transformative (policy)
actions that could trigger a structural change towards a
more productive use of human and other resources in agriculture. |
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