The 25th Agricultural Policy Forum (APF) titled “Navigating EU Integration and the Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture: Ensuring the Future of Our Farmers and Food in South East Europe,” convened in Ohrid, North Macedonia, from 3 to 4 June 2025. It provided a platform to assess the progress of the APF process, address policy and operational issues, and to explore current challenges and opportunities in agriculture and rural development in South Eastern Europe (SEE).
The Forum brought together policymakers, governmental and non-governmental organizations, EU Member States, international institutions, and experts. Discussions focused on EU integration, the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans (GAWB), and climate change. It provided a comprehensive overview of the regional agricultural policy in the context of the EU accession and cooperation process.
Agricultural Policy Forum 2025 was held under the joint auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of North Macedonia and the Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group (SWG) in SEE.
The participants of the Agricultural Policy Forum 2025 highly appreciated the support provided by the convening institutions and organisations: European Commission (DG Agriculture and Rural Development), German Government (Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity – BMLEH, Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development – BMZ and German Agency for International Cooperation – GIZ).
The Forum provides a comprehensive collaborative effort to address the complex climate-related challenges facing agriculture and rural development in SEE, with the overarching goal of building more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems in the region. Against this background, APF Ohrid Agenda 2025 highlights the outcomes recommendations and calls for actions. The Forum in details elaborated and addressed the following topics:
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- EU Integration and Policy Alignment
- Green Agenda for the Western Balkans
- Climate Change Adaptation (CCAA)
- Organic Agriculture
- Agricultural Policy Dialogue (APD)
- Skopje Declaration
APF brochure 2025
The Forum reaffirmed its commitment to the goals of the 2024 Skopje Declaration, which outlines a shared vision for sustainable agriculture in the Western Balkans. The Forum reaffirmed its commitment to the goals of the 2024 Skopje Declaration, which outlines a shared vision for sustainable agriculture in the Western Balkans. Key priorities of the Declaration include:
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- Strong commitment to the EU integration process and full alignment to the EU Acquis by 2030.
- Determination to resolve all bilateral and/or multilateral conflicts related to the free movement of goods, services, people and capital related to food and agriculture.
- Advancing Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS).
- Supporting generational renewal through youth-focused policies.
- Promoting inclusive rural development and economic diversification.
The Forum also took note of the conclusions of the 2024 Berlin Process Chairmanship with reference to agriculture and rural development and welcomed the increased political recognition of the sector as a strategic pillar for security, EU integration, economic development, and environmental sustainability in the Western Balkans.
In this context, the Forum called upon the current and future Presidencies of the Berlin Process to maintain a high level of political and technical attention to agriculture and rural development.
Speakers
- Ms. Aleksandra Martinovska Stojcheska, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food – Skopje, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje
- Mr. Sreten Andonov, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food – Skopje, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje
- Prof. Kerstin Wydra, Chair of Plant Production and Climate Change, University of Applied Sciences Erfurt
- Mr. Vlado Kovacevic, Director, Commodity Exchange, Novi Sad
- Mr. Vincent Cordonnier, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, Neighbourhood, Enlargement and Pre-accession assistance Unit, European Commission
- Ms. Ana Kotevska, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food – Skopje, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje
- Mr. Boban Ilic, Secretary General, Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group in SEE (SWG)
- Mr. Stephan Framke, Senior Policy Advisor, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity of the Federal Republic of Germany (BMLEH)
- Dr. Tilman Reinhardt – Project Manager, General Agent, Bilateral Cooperation Programme of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMLEH)
Plenary Speakers Presentations
1_APF Plenary Session Presentation_Ms. Aleksandra Martinovska Stojcheska
2_APF Plenary Session Presentation_Mr. Sreten Andonov
3_APF Plenary Session Presentation Ms. Kerstin Wydra
4_APF Plenary Session Presentation Short Food Supply Chains_Mr. Vlado Kovacevic
5_APF Plenary Session Presentation_Mr. Vincent Cordonnier_EC
6_APF Plenary Session Presentation_Ms. Ana Kotevska
7_APF Plenary Session Presentation_APD_GAWB_Mr. Boban Ilic
8_APF Plenary Session Presentation_APD_BMLEH_Mr. Tilman Reinhardt
Working Groups Conclusions
WG2 Climate Change Adaptation in Agriculture
WG2 Presentation: Key Considerations and Emerging Insights for Agri-Photovoltaic Planning
WG3 Agricultural Policy Developments