Sectors	Regional and territorial cooperation
EU Acquis Chapters	Other issues
EU funds	160 613 €
Implementation period	2012 - 2024
Categories	Civil society;  Gender ;  Climate action ;  Digital (Mouse hover to see significance)

The project aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the medicinal and aromatic herbs business sector in the cross-border region of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia by establishing a direct co-operation between the scientific-educational institutions and all actors in the value chain of the medicinal and aromatic herbs production and distribution. This co-operation will be focused on establishing/reviving or upgrading the quality and quantity of the product through education, standardisation, branding and promotion activities. Cross-border and regional networking will be the crucial element and starting point in the process of upgrading the product quality and quantity, in order to achieve the desired competitiveness on the market and realise joint potential in exporting. New associations, formed by the principles of cluster functioning, will be established at the local level, while a network promoting joint production under the brand of Mediterranean Medicinal Herbs will be established on the cross-border regional level. The project will additionally valorise local production and tradition by making it more visible and accessible to the tourist market, thus creating new opportunities for entrepreneurship development in agro-tourism sector. The goal of such activity is to provide added value to the product and strengthen the economic power of the operators through vertical and horizontal integration processes.

- Scientific foundation for the intervention in medicinal and aromatic herbs sector was established: the Project developed a detailed analysis of needs of the region from two aspects: production and marketing of medicinal and aromatic herbs, based on which 2 local studies were produced on medicinal herbs current state, 1 joint market study, 1 study on medicinal herbs paths of Herzegovina as well as 1 joint detailed plan of interventions. - Regarding the education and capacity building the project resulted in acquired know-how in medicinal and aromatic herbs production, processing, branding of local and regional products and marketing strategies. The laboratory of the Federation of BiH Agromediterranean Institute in Mostar was reinforced with equipment (chromatographer) which enabled the Institute to provide analysis of plants for which the producers had earlier turned to Serbia or Croatia. Furthermore, education was provided for 70 medicinal and aromatic herbs growers/processing operators through 41 workshops. The Project also assisted in establishing 6 new didactic demonstration fields/nurseries which were used in the practical part of the education as well as in education material where 3 publications were made with high quality materials. The study trip to the most important lavender-growing area in the EU – Provence in France helped participants to gain an insight to the true example of a successful business. - In order to establish truly efficient production and to strengthen the position of all stakeholders in medicinal and aromatic herbs sector, two associations were initiated and established (one in each side of the border) that are going to provide their members with tools and platform to exchange knowledge and information, create joint strategies for creating commercial brands and to undertake steps towards the protection of geographical indication. - Along the project implementation, cross border and trans-national network among stakeholders in the sector from both sides of the border was initiated and aimed at strengthening marketing capacity of the same. This joint network presented its work and products of its members during the summer months on the Island of Hvar and fairs in Mostar and Split. - Cross–border informative actions aiming at increasing the participation of stakeholders in the Project activities and its visibility were implemented, which resulted in the visibility of the Project itself but also in provision of all stakeholders with information on Project activates and ways of getting involved. For this purpose, a web page was developed and promotional materials, as well as promotional events were organised in Hvar and Mostar.