National dialogue on the food system transformation in Serbia: A clear vision for better food quality

Belgrade, 10 July 2025 – Food systems represent a key segment of the Serbian economy, and Serbia has a clear vision for sustainable production and improving the quality of food, it was emphasized today at the National dialogue on the food system transformation in Serbia, held at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. 

The National Dialogue, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, brought together stakeholders with the aim of initiating an open discussion on sustainable food production, food system safety, and responses to climate change and global challenges. 

At the opening of the event, State Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Jelena Blagojević, underlined that the food system transformation is not the issue of a single sector, but of society as a whole. 

“In recent years, through intensive work and more than 15 national and local dialogues, we have jointly identified 12 strategic directions that form the core of food system transformation in Serbia. These directions were not created in offices, but through conversations with farmers, entrepreneurs, teachers, experts, mothers, and young people from rural areas. This is why they are not just technical measures, but a reflection of the values we want to live by as a society – sustainability, fairness, inclusion, and health. What is crucial is that these directions do not remain at the level of recommendations. We are embedding them into the strategic documents and regulatory framework of our country – into the future Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy, into environmental protection strategies, into public policies on nutrition, education, and social protection. In this way, the food system transformation becomes part of our institutional fabric, something that permeates all policies that influence the lives and well-being of people,” explained State Secretary Jelena Blagojević. 

The panel discussion, titled “Food, people, and change: Local solutions for global challenges”, gathered representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, the National Association for Organic Production Serbia Organica, the company LoginEKO, the Center for Development of Jablanica and Pčinja Districts, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, who shared their experiences and insights with participants, followed by an open discussion. 

The National dialogue was organized within the project “From Seed to Sustainability: Food Systems 4 All”, a one-year initiative funded by the Joint SDG Fund, with support from the European Union and the governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. This initiative in Serbia is led by the UN Resident Coordinator Office and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) together with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), with support from the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Serbia and other local partners.