Regional development strategy - RDA South

REGIONAL PROFILESummary conclusions22.5tial for development of mountain tourism,such is hiking and hunting. Numerous riversin the region offer possibility of developmentof water sports and fishing.The natural resources related to tourism stillneed to be developed into specific products.The development should also address the issuesof the tourism base (both in terms of hotels,restaurants etc. as well as qualified humanresources). Taking full advantage of thatpotential, however, will not be possible withoutimprovements in quality of the environment.Issues related to the provision of improvedpublic services (sewage, solid wasteetc.) combined with environment protectionimprovements (environmental awareness, recyclingetc.) constitute a crosscutting theme,which in the long run influences the sustainabilityof all development efforts.With a very good climate with Mediterraneaninfluence, which characterizes southernregion, with 61% of agriculture land, fromwhich 52% is good quality arable land, especiallyin Prizren, Rahovec/Orahovac and Suhareka/Suvareka,with good irrigation systemin place, this region offers a greatopportunity for agricultural production andprocessing of agricultural and horticulturalproducts. Many agricultural products (includingwine) can be certified as organic, becauseof the use of natural technology and lack of industrialpollution. Considerable areas of pasturesin Dragash/Dragaš and Malisheva/Mališevo also are important assets for developmentof livestock industry for the region,with a good infrastructure and road networkof the region, offering possibilities of enteringthe local products into regional and broadermarkets.Agriculture and food processing industryshould advance by boosting agricultural production,optimizing the use of land, improvingthe quality of agricultural productionthrough the use of agro-technology as well astraditional and ecological values. This, in combinationof improved access to agro-markets,could be a foundation for balanced economicdevelopment of the rural areas and agro-tourism.Kosovo, and in particular the EconomicRegion South, has been known in the pre-conflictperiod as a significant net exporter of agriculturalproducts. Current balance of trade infoodstuffs is just the opposite. Supportingcomprehensive development of agriculture byaddressing its present shortcomings and understandingall the interrelationships has apotential of reversing the current trend and reestablishingagriculture as a major economicdevelopment driver of the region.The overall conclusion applicable to each ofthe sectors of regional economy of the EconomicRegion South is that they have not developedin any systematic, consistent or integratedway. While the region has all potentialelements needed for future success, there isvast space for improvement that a RegionalEconomic Development Strategy with a sounddelivery plan and a resulting implementationof programs can fill.The preliminary analysis of the region leadsto a conclusion that Southern Economic Regionshares many problem areas with the restof Kosovo. In particular, this relates to highlevels of current unemployment, growingpressures on the job market related to demographics(young population), developmentlevel disparities between the urban and ruralareas, scattered local initiatives with lowerthan expected overall development impact,unsatisfactory level of social services (healthcare,education etc.) offered to the population.Region South also has a number ofunique characteristics which include high potentialfor developing of tourism linked to numerousattractive resources related to tourism;high potential for development ofdiversified, modern and efficient agricultureand food processing industry, particularlylinked to vineyards as well as quality fruit andvegetable crops; and finally unutilized potentialrelated to SME and industrial development(both in production and in services). Aspointed out earlier, these three areas are seenas major drivers for the region’s development.REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THE ECONOMIC REGION SOUTH21