Montenegro learns to collect farm data in line with European standards

FAO experts have been visiting farms across Montenegro this week, to collect up-to-date information and data to be fed into the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) system.

Established by the European Union in 1965, the Farm Accountancy Data Network allows farm managers to keep track on their transactions at farm level and, thus better manage their business operations, as well as provides policy makers information on the effects of the implemented measures and for setting future policies.

FAO has been supporting the country’s participation in the FADN at different levels.

Earlier this month, data collectors in Montenegro had the opportunity to take part in an FAO training about the process and a new data collection software within the FADN system.

The two-day trainings took place in mid-November in different locations of the country targeting employees of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Department for advisory services in plant and livestock production.

During his address at the training in the capital, Podgorica, Aleksandar Stijovic, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management underlined the importance of the FADN system.

"This data [provided by the Farm Accountancy Data Network] promotes transparency in agriculture and strengthens the international negotiating position of Montenegro," Stijovic emphasized, adding that it also collects data on farm activities that are not related to agricultural production, such as tourism, forestry, and mechanization services.

There are currently over 82 000 agricultural farms in the FADN system, representing more than 4 million farms.

“The system allows monitoring a certain set of indicators, therefore, the data reported by agricultural holdings will be equally comparable with agricultural holdings in other areas and countries in Europe and used for policy decisions,” said Deputy Regional Representative Nabil Gangi.

The methodology applied in the Farm Accountancy Data Network system provides representative data along three dimensions: geographical location, economic size, and type of agricultural production. The data collected include: physical and structural data of locations, areas under individual crops, number of livestock, labor force, as well as economic and financial data, value of production, sales, purchases, assets, costs, revenues, subsidies, and many more.

The trainings are part of an FAO effort, started in 2018, helping Montenegro set up an institutional and legislative framework for participating in the FADN system that complies with European Union standards.

26 November 2021, Podgorica, Montenegro