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The Mid-Term Development Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PRSP) is a strategic instrument with a multi-sectoral approach, relating to the period 2004-2007, whose main goals are (i) to create conditions for sustainable and balanced economic development, (ii) to reduce poverty, and (iii) to accelerate the integration of the country into the European Union. The strategy lays down macroeconomic and fiscal measures, and promotes the private sector growth to attain the objectives above-mentioned. The following are priority sectors: social and pension policy; education; health care; agriculture; forestry; water management; environment; energy; industry; mine action; information and communication technology.The strategy aims at helping eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. It sets out measures to reduce poverty throughout the country. Indicators on minimum nutrition and caloric needs are set out.The document also aims at making agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable. Point V.4 is entirely devoted to agriculture as a priority sector. The main goals in this regard are to promote preservation of the environment through the promotion of sustainable agriculture and to improve ecological aspects of agricultural development.Special attention is given to rural areas so as to contribute to the reduction of poverty (see Chapter 3.5). One of the main goals is to develop rural areas as a crucial factor in poverty reduction.Another objective of the strategy is to enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural systems. To this respect the document sets out measures to (i) activate natural and human potential and increase employment; (ii) increase competitiveness of domestic agriculture; (iii) reduce agricultural imports; (iv) balance demographics of the regions in the country; (v) define strategic productions in the sector; (vi) improve the system of subsidies in agriculture and access to financial services; (vii) ensure adequate foreign-trade regime to encourage domestic agricultural production; (viii) improve the system of land management; (ix) strengthen cooperatives and associations in the sector; (x) improve scientific research and education in agriculture.In the field of resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the strategy foresees to draft and adopt the law on prevention, monitoring and intervention in the case of natural disasters. It states that the country's resources available for protection against natural disasters are very limited, risks are very high, and international aid is often needed to overcome the consequences of natural disasters. Among the priorities, the document includes the establishment of systems for early warning, forecast and protection from the effects of natural disasters and climate extremes.With respect to the forestry sector, the following goals are established: (a) to ensure sustainable management in forestry, which entails rational forestry management and preservation of biodiversity; (b) to apply modern scientific achievements in forestry; (c) to reduce operational costs; (d) to implement sustainable privatization in forestry; (e) to increase the share of the forestry sector. In matter of water management, the strategy sets forth the following prioroities: (a) to improve the existing infrastructure; (b) to improve the existing flood protection systems; (c) to ensure sufficient quantities of potable water for water management; (d) to improve the protection of water quality; (e) to improve integral and inter-sectoral planning of exploitation of water resources.
