Norwegian South Eastern Europe (SEE) Programme in Agriculture (2005- 2006: "Institutional collaboration between academic institutions in Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine in Norway and Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia & Montenegro", (UMB, UD Project no. 332 015)

Sammendrag

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has been funding an NORWEGIAN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE (SEE) PROGRAMME IN AGRICULTURE; Competence transfer and institutional contact and co-operation between faculties of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine in South Eastern Europe, (2002 ?2005). The main objectives under this programme were: - To improve organising, content and quality of academic education and research in agriculture, veterinary medicine and forestry to meet with needs for qualified people in ongoing rebuilding after wars and to reach the general European level and standards. - Create functional and sustainable networks of regional institutions and professionals to support each other and cooperate for optimal use of limited available resources in the SEE region in a difficult rebuilding situation. The main activities were: - Research and development projects in the areas of animal sciences, crop and fodder production and use of GIS-methods in forestry and agriculture. - Support to development of staff and institutions in form of study stays, study material, covering of costs for laboratory analysis etc. related to M.Sc. and Ph.D. thesis work, guest lecturing and some equipment. - Support to reorientation of academic education in agriculture, forestry and veterinary medicine. - Support to regional networks, professional meetings, further development and use of the Programme web site and web-based teaching. The most important strategy in this Programme was to facilitate for institutional cooperation and network building between partners in the SEE area. Origin application (05/420-3, 07.12.06) to MFA, for budget of activities for the secon year 2007, was NOK 4.830.000. The MFA reduced applied budget approximately by 18%. Funding of NOK 4.000.000 was granted by the MFA for this program?s second year 2007. See UD bevilgningsbrev, 05/00396-12, from 19. April 2007, Appendix 1, page 48-51. According to the UD bevilgningsbrev budget and activities for the secon year 2007 wear redused, see NORAGRIC?s letter 05/420-3, 07.05.2007, e-mail 07.05.2007, page 45 and UD letter 05/00396-16, from 19 November 2007, page 46. See also e-mail Status report for UD Project nr. 2070061, 25.06.2007, page 47. The Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), through Noragric, UMB?s Department for International Environment and Development Studies, has been responsible for the overall preparations, coordination and implementation of this programme. The programme?s Coordinator has also been part time active with scientific and education in several projects and activities. UMB/Noragric has been responsible for accounting and reporting for the programme. Programme activities include: ? Programme budgets for each projects and activities have been prepared. ? There have been preparations of agreements (54 agreements) between SEE/WB partners and Norwegian partners for the implementation of planned programme activities and transfer of funds for 2007. ? FINAL reports for the second year of the programme activities (2007) have been prepared ? for each of the 9 projects according to MFA?s template for project reporting.