On Saturday, 30 January 2010, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic visited the Fair on Rural Development and Women in Agrobusineses in Kragujevac, organised by AGROPRESS, Association of Agricultural Journalists, in cooperation with USAID – Agrobusiness Project, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, GTZ (German Organisation for Technical Cooperation) and the city of Kragujevac.

At the Fair, the Speaker gave a speech endorsing and promoting female entrepreneurship in general and the participation of women in Serbia’s agrobusiness sector in particular. Stressing the importance of women in this sphere, Djukic-Dejanovic said: “The unfortunate fact is that the position of women in Serbia is marginalised and it is necessary to ensure the conditions for their involvement in the creation of developmental rural policies.”

The Speaker reminded the participants that the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia had adopted a packet of 15 agricultural laws at the sitting of 29 May 2009, adding that, in the upcoming period, the Serbian Parliament is expected to adopt a large number of European laws from the sphere of agriculture. “Their adequate implementation would create the conditions conducive to the development of rural communities and, I hope, halt the departure of young people from villages and possibly enable the return of those who had continued their professional lives in Serbian towns, as well as strengthen the role of women in rural areas”, the Assembly Speaker said in her address.

Afterwards, the Assembly Speaker talked to some of the around hundred exhibitors both from Serbia and abroad, and learned about their offers in more detail.

The three-day fair (29 – 31 January 2010) aimed to promote rural development and participation of women in agriculture. Various conferences, lectures and workshops were organised as part of the Fair in order to raise awareness on the importance of Serbian agriculture, potentials for its development and the importance of women’s contribution to the economic branch.