Serbia’s agri-food agenda this week: Agro Belgrade Fair 2026, pollinator protection, and climate resilience

Agro Belgrade 2026: where policy direction meets aggrotech scale-up

Agro Belgrade 2026 brought the Western Balkans’ fruit, vegetable and viticulture value chains into one high-density arena—500+ exhibitors from 15+ countries, a dedicated B2B matchmaking format, and three days of conference.  All related to questions agrotech leaders have about machinery, nursery material, post-harvest, and market access. The fair’s strongest takeaway was the growing overlap between technology adoption (quality, traceability, cold chain performance, resource efficiency) and the policy framework that will determine scale and speed of developments. 

In his opening remarks, Minister Dragan Glamočić positioned 2026 as a year of clearer direction through Serbia’s 2025–2034 agriculture strategy, while underscoring the sector’s export relevance (reported fruit exports in 2025 valued at €728.5 million). For intensive orchards and vineyards, one of the most concrete signals was the increase in the ceiling for investment support in last year’s perennial plantations—from €25,550/ha to €42,583/ha. He expressed renewed support for establishing new vineyards and continued work towards an EU-model approach on unfair trading practices.  

The LAN Team Belgrade (Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) used the fair to engage with senior counterparts, including Serbian Minister Glamočić and Montenegrin Minister Joković, and relevant state stakeholders. But also took the time talking to (Dutch) companies to learn on how we can support their ambitions in the region. Opening the Embassy’s reception on the first day, Chargé d’Affaires Mr. Mark van der Linden emphasized that lasting competitiveness in agriculture depends on partnerships that turn innovation into practical, measurable improvements across the whole chain—from production to trade.

During the fair’s conference Mr. Michiel van Erkel, Agricultural Attaché for the Western Balkans, joined a fireside conversation on regenerative and sustainable agriculture, linking on-farm practice with technology, standards, and market requirements—where agrotech solutions meet long-term objectives.

“Bee is a Key – Citizens for Pollinators”: why pollinators moved to the center of the agri-food conversation

Bee is a Key – Citizens for Pollinators gathered researchers, practitioners, institutions and decision-makers around a topic with direct relevance for fruit production and wider agri-food systems: pollinators—how they are monitored, how they are supported in practice, and how policy frameworks shape outcomes.

Held in at the Center for the Promotion of Science in Belgrade, the event presented the project’s work on monitoring wild pollinators through a new, non-invasive method that involves citizen volunteers, alongside preliminary results and a call for citizens to join the next monitoring season.

The program also addressed the production-side reality by highlighting managed pollinators in fruit growing with a contribution from Koppert Biological Systems, supported by insights from an online survey of fruit growers, and the presentation of a Mason Bee Rearing Manual (available only in Serbian).

A central point of the event was the discussion “Pollinators Between Science and Practice,” focused on the gap between research and field conditions—covering pollinator status and threats, monitoring approaches (Dr. Dragana Vukasinovic, based out off Denmark sharing innovative approach by using sound sensors and geodata), beekeeping–orchard cooperation, agro-ecological measures, and the legal and policy context relevant to pollinator protection and pesticide-related risks.

In his contribution to the discussion, Mr. Michiel van Erkel, Agricultural Attaché for the Western Balkans, informed the participants about the state of play of pollinators in the Netherlands and practical initiatives taken to improve the living environment for pollinators.

FAO–EU climate resilience project in Serbia concludes after five years

A five-year programme to strengthen Serbia’s agricultural resilience to natural disasters concluded Thursday 29 January 2026 with a final conference in Belgrade. The initiative was implemented by FAO, financed by the European Union, and delivered in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and local municipalities.

Minister of Agriculture Dragan Glamočić said the project started in March 2021 and focused on building an agricultural sector capable of withstanding climate change, describing this as a key long-term objective for Serbian agriculture. Nabil Gangi, FAO Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, noted that the programme trained hundreds of experts, advisors, teachers, and students.

A central conference message was the move from classroom concepts to field-level proof. The project established more than 400 demonstration fields across 16 municipalities, as well as three research institutes, showcasing over 35 climate-smart practices under real production conditions. According to the statement, around 1,600 farmers gained direct exposure to measures aimed at reducing risks from droughts, floods, frost, and other climate extremes.

Capacity-building covered the full delivery chain: training was provided to around 80 Ministry of Agriculture staff, 80 representatives from 23 local governments, over 400 agricultural advisors, and more than 300 students and teachers from agricultural high schools. The statement concludes that climate resilience principles have been embedded across all levels.