EU, FAO, and MAFWE Concluded Regional Consultations to Finalize the Draft National Land Consolidation Strategy for 2024 - 2034

The EU-funded project "Enhancing Land Consolidation in North Macedonia," co-funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and implemented by FAO in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy (MAFWE), concluded the regional consultation process on the final draft of the National Land Consolidation Strategy for 2024-2034. Four regional workshops were organized this week in Sveti Nikole and Kocani on 10 June, Strumica on 11 June, and Bitola on 12 June 2024.

These workshops aimed to introduce the draft Strategy and gather feedback from stakeholders and farmers across the Vardar, Eastern, Southeastern, and Pelagonia regions. Approximately 60 participants attended, including farmers, representatives from local farmers' organizations, agricultural cooperatives, local self-governments, branch offices of MAFWE, the National Extension Agency, the Public Enterprise for Management of Pastures, Local Action Groups, and private geodetic companies.

Participants learned about the strategic goals and implementation plans of the new Strategy, covering the legal framework, institutional strengthening, capacity building, financial and strategic planning, public awareness, and field implementation of land consolidation projects over the next decade. Additionally, past experiences and lessons learned were shared. Farmers who previously participated in land consolidation efforts provided insights and discussed challenges, providing valuable insights for future projects. The goal was to ensure farmers and local stakeholders were informed about the upcoming plans and benefits of the land consolidation policy for the next ten years.

Over the past five months, a series of consultations ensured comprehensive stakeholder engagement in shaping the new National Land Consolidation Strategy 2024-2034, led by MAFWE. The process began in February 2023 with the establishment of the Permanent Advisory Group on Land Consolidation (PAG), where members were briefed on the strategy development, drawing from the experiences of the previous National Strategy on Land Consolidation for 2012-2020. April 2023 marked the formal launch of the development of the strategy, followed by three PAG sessions and meetings with the Land Policy Working Group of MAFWE. In February 2024, a Stakeholder Consultation Workshop and eight consultative meetings with MAFWE department representatives were held. In March 2024, a dedicated working session focused on preparing a SWOT Analysis and identifying priority actions for the Strategy’s Action Plan. In May 2024, the draft Strategy was circulated to stakeholders for written feedback.

After these consultations, the Strategy will be finalized with support from the Project. The collected feedback from the diverse range of stakeholders will be integrated to ensure the Strategy reflects their collective insights and priorities. The finalized Strategy is expected to be submitted to the Government for adoption by the end of June 2024.