The development objective is to increase significantly the use of environmentally friendly agricultural practices by farmers in Croatia’s Pannonian plain in order to reduce nutrient discharge from agricultural sources to the Danube River and Black Sea. Black Sea Environmental Program (BSEP) studies reveal that 58% of the total dissolved nitrogen and 66% of the total dissolved phosphorous flowing into the Black Sea come from the Danube river basin. More than half of all nutrient loads into the Danube river originate from agriculture, about one-fourth from private households and about 10-13% from industry. In Croatia, the Danube river, as well as its tributaries, the Sava and Drava drain sixty percent of Croatia’s territory (approximately 33,940 sq km out of a total of 56,538 sq km). The three rivers flow southeast, through the Pannonian plains that make up the bulk of Croatia’s agricultural lands. These rivers are therefore of particular significance for the agricultural sector of Croatia and play a critical role in preserving the natural ecological conditions of the region. The ecosystems along these rivers are of high ecological value, and in fact Croatia is among the most biologically rich countries in Europe, ranking second for the number of fish species, third for the estimated number of invertebrates, fifth for the number of reptiles and seventh for the number of vascular plants and mammals. Croatia has an unusually high concentration of endemic species and its rich biodiversity has been key to the promotion of inland tourism. The impact of the intensive fertilizer and pesticide application in the most fertile lowland areas adjacent to surface water courses is manifesting itself in increasing water pollution and loss of biodiversity which has significant ramifications for national agricultural productivity and efficiency, soil fertility, and maintenance of the biological ecosystem. In 1999, 69% of surveyed water samples had an excess of nitrates, while 41% contained DDT and 12% contained lindane above the maximum allowable concentrations. Agriculture accounts for 53% of the total nitrogen load in the surface water of the Croatian Danube basin. Public health repercussions of nutrient, agrochemical and bacterial groundwater pollution in an environment where access to piped household water supply is scarce, is widely recognized by the rural population of the Pannonian plain to be the major threat to the wellbeing of the affected communities. The proposed project will be Croatia’s contribution to a regional effort seeking to reduce nutrient flow to the Danube River and Black Sea.
Budget
USD 20,000,000
Total Cost of the project
USD 5,000,000
GEF Allocation to project
Partners
The main focus is on helping the poorest people and the poorest countries, but for all its clients the Bank emphasizes the need for:Investing in people, particularly through basic health and educationFocusing on social development, inclusion, governance, and institution-building as key elements of poverty reduction Strengthening the ability of the governments to deliver quality services, efficiently and transparently Protecting the environment Supporting and encouraging private business developmentPromoting reforms to create a stable macroeconomic environment, conducive to investment and long-term planning.
Croatia has a strong food industry with a long tradition, within the regional framework, distinguished by highest food quality and safety standards, offering to the consumers in Croatia and abroad an abundance of top-quality and recognizable agricultural and food products. The best way to check the above statements is to visit us and try for yourselves some of the delicacies that Croatian agriculture has to offer, regardless of the part of Croatia you may choose to visit.
Contacts
Project Coordinator
Project manager
Project Task Team Leader
Project Officer