On the occasion of the International Day of Rural Women, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), within the EU-funded project “Strengthening Disaster Resilience in Agriculture”, organized a two-day workshop “Women Connect Villages – for Resilience and Sustainability” in Sjenica - dedicated to the topic of climate change in mountainous areas.
Ahead of 2026, which the United Nations has declared the International Year of the Woman Farmer, this event takes on special importance. At a time when the focus is on empowering women who, through their work, contribute to preserving rural communities and sustainable food systems, the gathering of women from Serbia’s mountainous regions carries both strong symbolic and practical value.
These regions are particularly affected by the impacts of climate change, and in them, women play a vital role in maintaining food production, community cohesion, and local resilience. The workshop brought together over 40 women from Sjenica, Tutin, Novi Pazar, Arilje, Čajetina, Svrljig, and many other municipalities across Serbia, enabling an exchange of experiences among participants from different parts of the country. In addition to women farmers and rural women, participants included representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities, the Agricultural Advisory and Extension Service of Novi Pazar, and the civil sector.
Through collaborative work, participants identified key challenges faced by women in mountainous regions, from the effects of climate change, unfavorable agricultural conditions, and poor infrastructure to the need for greater involvement of women in decision-making and local development initiatives.
On 15 October, the International Day of Rural Women, a panel discussion titled “Between Drought and Snow – The Lives of Rural Women in Mountainous Areas and Climate Change” was held, featuring Danijela Mirjanić, State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management; Mersija Camović Rebronja, President of Sjenica Municipality; Melisa Curić, representative of the association Ecological Corner; and Miroslava Nikolić, Project Coordinator of the organization Polekol. The panel provided an opportunity for the exchange of experiences, ideas, and good practices regarding the role of women in rural areas in the context of climate change. The discussion opened with a presentation of the results of the workshop sessions held the previous day.
Speaking at the panel, State Secretary Danijela Mirjanić emphasized the importance of intersectoral cooperation and support for women in rural areas.
The workshop and panel were organized within the project “Strengthening Disaster Resilience in Agriculture” funded by the European Union and implemented by FAO in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia and other national partners.