Start date: March 8, 2012          End date: March 7, 2015  
Project budget (Life of Project):  $1.4 Million
Implementer:  Rural Development Network of the Republic of Macedonia

Objectives

Develop and disseminate affordable climate change adaptation technologies and practices in the agricultural sector, by conducting comprehensive public awareness and outreach campaigns combined with capacity building programs tailored to the needs of farming operations. 

Components

1. Develop, test, demonstrate, and disseminate innovative climate change-related adaptive agricultural practices to minimize the adverse impacts of global warming on the prevailing high-value crops in the targeted regions.
2.  Public awareness and civil society capacity building to raise awareness of the forthcoming challenges of climate change and the necessity for joint community-level responses and action

Achievements/Impact

• More than 160 farmers, local government representatives, agriculture extension agents, civil society organizations, journalists, and university students participated in 8 workshops to increase the public’s knowledge and awareness of the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector in Macedonia. 
• Seven orchard, vegetable, and vineyard demonstration plots have been established for testing new adaptive measures and techniques for decreasing the negative effects of climate change.  Examples include the installation of UV protective nets to reduce sunburn damage on crops, modification of irrigation practices, utilization of various mulching techniques, and the introduction of cover crops. 
• The installation of meteorological stations in Skopje and Negotino provide important and timely data to support the implementation of these techniques.   
• Initial project activities and results have been shared with more than 120 farmers and 40 Ministry of Agriculture representatives and agriculture extension agents.  

Contact Information

Contact at USAID: Matthew Hutcherson, AOR: MHutcherson@usaid.gov
Chief of Party:  Petar Gjorgievski, petar.g@ruralnet.mk
Information Officer: Aleksandra Todorovska (aleksandra.t@ruralnet.mk)
Website: www.ruralnet.mk