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Czech Development Agency supports responsible agricultural production and safe food project in Bosnia and Herzegovina

One of the most serious problems for agriculture in Bosnia and Herzegovina is seen as the lack of competitiveness of its agricultural products. This is primarily due to persistent obstacles to exports and the low level of compliance with food safety standards. The Czech Development Agency is, therefore, supporting a bilateral project in the country with the objective of strengthening the food safety control role of the competent authorities. The project is in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal No. 16, as it focuses on supporting effective and transparent institutions at multiple levels.

One of the main problems related to agricultural and food production in Bosnia and Herzegovina is food quality and safety. Control mechanisms in this area are either lacking or are completely inadequate. Foods that pose a risk to human health may be produced as a consequence. The uncontrolled application of pesticides and fertilizers also has a negative impact on the environment, particularly on surface water, groundwater, and the soil. In addition, the food does not meet standards for import to the EU Member States and is thus not competitive in those markets.

This project, entitled Improving Food Safety in Bosnia and Herzegovina and implemented between 2017 and 2020, is based around the current priorities of partner organizations and is fully in accordance with European Commission food safety recommendations. The project also follows on from previous Czech Development Agency projects implemented here in the agriculture and rural development sector.

The need to create a control plan for food additives, pesticides, and salmonella

“It is clear that better food safety will have a positive impact both on the incidence of illnesses caused by unsafe food and also on the environment by reducing the agrochemical burden on the land. If, in addition, Bosnia and Herzegovina produces safe food, it will then be able to export to the EU Member States. Our project, therefore, determines appropriate procedures and systems in three control areas: pesticides and fertilizers, salmonella, and food additives,” says Jan Rosmus of the State Veterinary Institute, the joint project implementer together with the Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture.

The first part of the project thus focused on creating a control system for pesticides and fertilizers and an integrated production system. After the completion of the project, Bosnian laboratories will be capable of detecting fertilizer and pesticide residues and a fully functional register of plant protection products and fertilizers will be created. The Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Plant Health Protection is a key partner at the state level.

The second part of the project focused on salmonella control. Activities included planning and the introduction of official sampling. This part of the project will include an audit of official control and legislation workplaces and a plan for an official sampling system will be created. At least 10 inspectors and at least 20 staff from 10 producers and processors will also be trained in planning and official sampling. Here the main partner is the Veterinary Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The third part of the project focuses on the control of food additives. The food additives issue is not harmonized with the EU throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, even though the relevant rules and regulations were issued in September 2017. The main partner in this part of the project is the Food Safety Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“The project’s direct target group is administrative staff with competencies for food safety. These are institutions and administration at both state and entity-level that will benefit in particular from the newly introduced control systems and new methods contributing towards improvements in food safety. The farmers themselves will also be direct beneficiaries, as they will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge through training and obtain integrated agricultural production certification,” says Sara Miličić, in charge of projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Czech Development Agency.

The project’s final beneficiaries can be considered the entire population of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as better food safety will result in health and environmental benefits over the long term. Consumers in other countries to which food is exported from Bosnia and Herzegovina will also profit from the project. Thanks to the project, more types of food in Bosnia and Herzegovina will meet food safety standards and will be eligible for export to the EU Member States – in particular Croatia, a traditional customer for Bosnian production, as exports to this country from Bosnia and Herzegovina have been limited since Croatia’s accession to the EU in 2013 primarily due to failures to comply with European standards.

The Czech Development Agency funded projects in health and social sectors in Georgia

In the first week of July, two new development projects have started in Georgia thanks to the support from the Czech Development Agency. Two projects, which were officially introduced on July 10^th by Czech Caritas team to the main partners and representatives of the donor during the meeting attended by Minister of IDPs, Labour, Health and Social Affairs Mrs. Ekaterine Tikaradze and H.E. Petr Mikyska, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Georgia, aim at inclusive social development through the improvement of health and social sectors in Georgia.

The first project called “Support to Primary Health Care strengthening” is a continuation and scale-up of the project implemented during 2017-2019. Caritas Czech Republic assisted the Ministry in assessing and improving the quality of primary health care services. To this end, the quality measurement electronic tools were developed and introduced at five pilot PHC facilities in Tbilisi.

From 2020, the Czech Republic’s Caritas will launch the second phase of support for primary health care reform, which will lead to even larger-scale changes in the primary health care sector. In particular, quality management tools will be introduced for primary healthcare and a unified, comprehensive standardized electronic information system will be created to help professionals working in the field of primary health care to work with uniform high-quality standards. The project will upgrade the qualification standards and requirements for primary care staff and will establish a system of continuing medical education. The project will be implemented in three years.

”Now we are entering a new phase of strengthening the primary health care sector, which has very long- term goals and envisages the introduction of electronic information technologies in primary health care, as well as strengthening the skills of primary health care providers. Caritas Czech Republic supports the Ministry in the implementation of these goals,” mentioned first deputy minister Tamar Gabunia.

The second new project “Way to Home Development of Adult Alternative Social Services in Georgia” aims at the creation of a national system of adult alternative care based on the individual needs of beneficiaries. Particularly, it concerns the deinstitutionalization of two large boarding homes for persons with disabilities (PWD) in Martkofi and Dusheti and the development of relevant family-style services for the beneficiaries of these services. The project is initiated by LEPL Agency for State Care and Assistance for the Victims of Human Trafficking and is in line with the state policy in the field of disability and human rights proceeding from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which has been signed and ratified by the Government of Georgia.

„I am really excited about the fact that we are starting those two new CzechAid-funded projects, it indicates that donors and partners acknowledge our professionalism, and ability to deliver high-quality results. Even though both projects are challenging, I am sure that we accomplish them without problems,“ said Jan Blinka, Head of Mission CCR in Georgia.

CHALLENGE FUND 2020: APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!

We are happy to inform you that the spring 2020 Call for Proposals for the Challenge Fund of the Czech-UNDP Partnership is open and accepting applications.

The objective of the Challenge Fund: Czech solutions for SDGs is to facilitate transfer of Czech know-how and innovative solutions that would address development challenges and contribute to the achievement of SDGs in six priority countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Georgia, Kingdom of Cambodia, Republic of Moldova and Republic of Zambia.

The eligible applicants include Czech private and public sector, NGOs, universities, state institutions or research centers. The applicants are required to engage local partners to assure viability in local conditions and to promote sustainability and scalability of the solution.

Interested applicants should submit their proposals via online application system on the Czech-UNDP Partnership for SDGs website by Tuesday 30 June 2020, 23.59 Istanbul time (GMT +3).

The estimated beginning of contracts is July 2020 and each contract is expected to last up to 12 months. The Challenge Fund awards range between US$20,000 and US$40,000, with applicants providing a minimum of 20% of co-funding of the total cost of the project.

For more information on the Challenge Fund, please consult the website or message cup.applications@undp.org.

CHALLENGE FUND 2020: APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!

We are happy to inform you that the spring 2020 Call for Proposals for the Challenge Fund of the Czech-UNDP Partnership is open and accepting applications.

Interested applicants should submit their proposals via online application system on the Czech-UNDP Partnership for SDGs website by Tuesday 30 June 2020, 23.59 Istanbul time (GMT +3).

The estimated beginning of contracts is July 2020 and each contract is expected to last up to 12 months. The Challenge Fund awards range between US$20,000 and US$40,000, with applicants providing a minimum 20% of co-funding of the total cost of the project.

For more information on the Challenge Fund, please consult the website or message cup.applications@undp.org.

Projects supported under the B2B Program are facing a number of restrictions and challenges in connection with the Coronavirus crisis

The current Coronavirus crisis and associated restrictive measures put in place to a varying extent all over the world are resulting in a great number of restrictions and challenges for projects supported under the B2B Program. Given the rules governing the provision of grants from the state budget, unfortunately, in consequence of these objective circumstances, which are completely out of the implementers’ control, projects cannot be extended into the following year. However, it is possible to apply for changes to a project, particularly those concerning a shift in the schedule (still within the framework of the relevant year), the transfer of funds within the approved budget or changes to activities to be carried out in order to achieve project objectives in an alternative manner.

Shortly after the outbreak of the crisis, the CzDA called upon implementers to draft changes as soon as possible and to consult possible solutions with program managers or, where applicable, with the staff of the embassies in the individual countries through an intermediary. “We are constantly in contact with implementers and provide them with information and advice on these changes. Despite the fact that it is difficult to predict how the situation will develop further, we are delighted to say that for now all these projects are so far still under way and, although certain activities, particularly those involving travel abroad, have been postponed or cancelled, the implementers assume that these projects will be successfully completed,” says Dominika Caputová, manager of the B2B Program of the Czech Development Agency.

Given the nature of these projects, which are focused on developing enterprise activities in difficult territories where personal contact is often the only way of establishing cooperation and building the trust of a business partner, the inability to travel is a fundamental setback for all types of projects under the B2B Program. This fact has the greatest impact on projects that in 2020 require a partner to be identified, the local business conditions to be mapped out, a longer-term contract to be agreed on, a license to be acquired, etc. Projects prepared in previous years, so-called implementations, where cooperation is already under way between a Czech and local company on a particular development project, also face specific challenges.

Online training is easing complications caused by travel restrictions

Travel restrictions are causing problems in training for local workers, given the fact that in the vast majority of cases this involves new technologies or production processes that need to be demonstrated on site. One example is the project implemented by Sunnycold, s.r.o., which aims at transferring Czech technology for battery storage production to Indonesia, which, owing to its unique location and the fact that it is spread across islands, shows a strong need for decentralized electricity generation. However, this is almost impossible to achieve for economic reasons. Therefore, most Indonesian islands still struggle with a shortage of energy and are dependent on subsidized diesel aggregates. The current prices of alternative technologies from abroad are far higher than what the local market can afford. In response to the fact that it is impossible to travel and train the partner company’s staff in how to connect up and use the technology on site, Sunnycold has produced a special training unit to enable the technical staff of the partner Indonesian company to be trained online so that in the future it can produce battery storage itself locally and thus offer a suitable alternative for replacing conventional sources of electricity with renewable sources or streamline current electricity generation facilities.

“In many cases the local branches of firms acting as partners in the project were closed for health and hygiene reasons, so no local production, harvests or expert analyses can be carried out. Given that the operation of the national and regional authorities is limited, there are also delays in the certifications needed for export to the Czech Republic, and thus to the EU in general. There is no universal solution to this problem. In order to alleviate the impact of this, implementers are planning alternative solutions, always depending on the nature of the project or the specific conditions in the countries in which they operate,” explains Dominika Caputová, adding that companies that are already established in the relevant region and can rely on already trained key local managers and technical and specialized workers have a great advantage.

Implementers may consult CzDA at any time about their current problems

These firms do not have to postpone their activities in the target countries and can at least temporarily transfer them to their local teams (possibly with extra staffing), who have the professional support and backing of their Czech partners. For three years now, AAA Techlabs, s.r.o., for instance, has been working on the production and further development of special DOT Glasses (formerly Spectaler), which are the cheapest solution to refractive vision defects in the world and are thus affordable to users even in the poorest and most remote areas in developing countries. After years of development work with the company, and also thanks to the support from the B2B Program, injection moulds have now been made for the production of frames for these glasses. Now, within the framework of ongoing pilot programs, the product is being further refined and a partner distribution network is being set up. Thanks to existing contacts and backing in India, to where the company is also planning to move its production, local retailers and distributors can also get involved and positions can be created for local senior sales consultants. Overall, however, the company’s sales plans are to be postponed by several months, given the fact that local distribution partners are unable to move around and healthcare partners are fully occupied with the current crisis. The company is using this time to develop an order application and a new website to present its new products. An article about this project supported by the CzDA can be found here.

For now, firms that do not yet have this kind of backing in place have to postpone partial activities in their target countries and focus on activities that can be implemented from the Czech Republic – e.g. analyses, preparing a marketing strategy, developing sales channels and PR, creating e-shops, etc.

In cases where the key phases of a project call for highly specialized work that should be carried out by Czech experts, such as conducting hydrological analyses, taking and analyzing samples, preparing the source documentation for certification, etc., in certain countries local specialists can be hired to carry out these activities. However, this option is only open to some firms, such as those operating in the Balkans, for example, or in specific regions of Asia or Africa, where an adequate expert base already exists.

One example of such a company is Vodní zdroje, a.s., which is working on the remediation of dumping grounds in the Serbian city of Pančevo. The specialized hydrogeological works associated with the risk analysis, which would include a description of the potential spread of contamination outside the sludge dump and which under standard conditions would be carried out by the company’s own specialists as part of their mission, will most probably be outsourced in Serbia.

“The implementers of the projects we support can contact us at any time to discuss their current problems. We are flexible and operative as regards approving justified changes within the framework of the set rules and wish everyone plenty of strength, success, and especially health. We are delighted that they are not giving up,” adds Dominika Caputová.

Infant mortality in Cambodia is being reduced with Czech help

While as late as 1990 the WHO reported 116 deaths for every 1,000 births in Cambodia, the situation has now improved fourfold. This is credited to a Czech Development Agency project through which health care equipment and neonatal tools, including incubators, were provided to the Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh. This leading clinic specializing in procedures typically beyond the capacity of regional hospitals examines some 20,000 pediatric patients every year.

Despite the significant improvement in Cambodia’s infant mortality rates to a level similar to that of Indonesia or the Philippines, according to the WHO care for mothers and children here continues to lag behind. This is due to the poor quality of health care services provided in the state and private sectors and low availability of care – particularly for residents in remote rural areas. One problem is a lack of qualified health care personnel or outdated or non-functioning hospital equipment. For this reason, the project Rozvoj oddělení neonatologie v rámci Národní pediatrické nemocnice (NPN) (“Development of Neonatal Departments in National Pediatric Hospital”) contributes to an increase in the quality of health care services provided in the field of neonatal medicine by educating health care personnel and improving technical equipment.

“The project for support of the neonatal ward, provided in coordination with the Cambodian Ministry of Health and in close cooperation with NPN, has taken place over several phases. In addition to the delivery of equipment, Czech specialists in neonatal care from General University Hospital in Prague have become involved, contributing to training hospital staff. Yet another project is being planned as well, in which Czechia is seeking to create a new university discipline of biomedical engineering. The goal is to cover the demand for specialists capable of maintaining and repairing health care instruments. The lack of these skills has often prevented full use of health care equipment and its stable maintenance including minor repairs,” Štěpán Vojnár of the Czech Embassy in Phnom Penh describes the project.

The gala presentation of the health care equipment took place in the presence of the Cambodian Minister of Health, Mam Bunhenga, and chargé d’affaires a.i. Vlastimil Tesař in mid-January of this year. Altogether 31 health care devices including phototherapy lamps, life function monitors, pulse oximetry, heating pads, bilirubinometer, cooling equipment for hypothermic treatment, blood gas analyzer, ventilators for mechanical ventilation of newborns and neonatal incubators in total value of CZK 7,900,000. “The newborn incubators, heating pads, and phototherapy lamps are from the České Budějovice company TSE. TSE representatives first met with hospital leadership in March of last year to discuss opportunities for collaboration. Their specialists then had the opportunity to become familiar with this equipment in Czech health care facilities. The actual delivery and installation including user trainings was provided by another Czech company, Medsol,” says Lucie Chudá of the Czech embassy in Phnom Penh.

A chance for other Czech companies with health care equipment

The instruments will allow the Cambodian experts to provide professional and multilateral care for newborns who are brought to the national hospital when health complications exceed the capabilities of provincial health care facilities. The equipment provided by the Czech Republic thereby contribute to rescuing the health and lives of newborns from all over the country.

During the gala presentation, Minister of Health Mam Bunhenga stressed that the Cambodian kingdom deeply appreciates the development assistance provided by the Czech Republic in support of the public health care system. He stated that the equipment received undoubtedly increases the quality of health care at NPN and considers that it could support the declared goal of the Cambodian government of reducing the infant mortality rate by half. He also accentuated the role of NPN in disseminating experience with preventive and therapeutic procedures with health care facilities throughout the country.

“Even though the three-year development project with the National Pediatric Hospital was to be completed this year, there could be potential here to deepen our collaboration in neonatology and perinatology. For Czech companies interest in delivering health care equipment to Cambodia is the most suitable path to establish contacts within the local private sector, which dominates the health care system in terms of coverage and patient trust. The collaboration with private providers and distributors should be the main goal of their interest. Apart from this, it offers certain opportunities in international development partnerships. Here it is worth recommending the now relatively well-known Program B2B from the Czech Development Agency,” adds Štěpán Vojnár.

This project is now the ninth health care project financed by the Czech Republic focused on improving maternal-fetal medicine. Since 2010 the Czech Republic has contributed CZK 74.3 million in development aid to Cambodia thus far and has thereby helped the overall improvement in maternal-fetal care in the country.

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