Assessing the satisfaction level of rural tourist households (rth) in Serbia with the economic sustainability dimension

The aim of the research is to examine the economic efficiency of rural tourist households in the Republic of Serbia engaged in rural tourism at their households. To achieve the research goal, two dependent variables were observed: (1) satisfaction with tourist visits and accommodation capacity occupancy, and (2) satisfaction with earnings from rural tourism and the possibility of investment return in this activity. The non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis test was employed to examine differences between groups. The research revealed no statistically significant difference in the level of satisfaction with tourist visits and capacity occupancy among respondents with different demographic, socio-economic, and business characteristics. Regarding satisfaction with income from rural tourism and the possibility of investment return in rural tourism among respondent groups, the application of the Kruskal–Wallis test detected differences only based on the Age of the respondents and Dominant sources of income in the rural tourist household

Development Perspectives of Agriculture of the Republic of Serbia – IPARD III Program

The aim of the paper is to present the development perspectives of agriculture and rural development in the Republic of Serbia with regard to the possibility of funding from the IPARD III program. The Republic of Serbia has at its disposal a total of 588 million euros within this financial instrument of the European Union in the 2021-2027 program period. The main goals of the IPARD III program are the following: (a) increasing the competitiveness, efficiency and sustainability of agricultural production; (b) mitigating the negative effects of climate change; (c) improvement of the economic position of agricultural holdings; (d) rural development; (e) reducing the depopulation of rural areas and stimulating the employment of young people in rural economies; (f) building efficient public administration in the field of agriculture and rural development in the Republic of Serbia. In the current period, four measures of the IPARD III program have been accredited, namely: Measure 1 - Investments in physical assets of agricultural holdings; Measure 3 - Investments in physical assets, processing and marketing of agricultural and fishery products; Measure 7 - Diversification of agricultural holdings and business development and Measure 9 - Technical assistance. Together with the financial support of the IPARD III program, new funding opportunities are available, namely: (a) within Measure 1 and Measure 3 – development perspective of production and processing in the Fishery Sector; (b) within Measure 7 - development perspectives in the Sector of direct marketing of agricultural and food products, the home-made products as well as the Sector of small-scale services. The authors conclude that the implementation of the IPARD III program enables significant development perspectives, both for agriculture and rural economies, in terms of activating resources that have been underutilized until now. This should enable overall rural development and alleviate the depopulation of rural areas in the Republic of Serbia. The paper uses the following methods: desk research, descriptive method, methods of analysis and synthesis, as well as the method of descriptive statistics

Plum market trends in Serbia

The authors used a quantitative research method to analyze the market trends of fresh plums in Serbia. For this purpose, they used competitiveness parameters that were processed using standard descriptive statistics tools. The goal was to review the foreign trade of plums, as well as to determine the trend of competitiveness indicators for this fruit. The results show that during the analyzed ten-year period from 2014 to 2023, there was a slight downward trend in all production parameters of this fruit, but that Serbia was self-sufficient in its production, as well as price-competitive on the world market. Also, a downward trend in certain competitiveness indicators was observed, which indicates a further strengthening of the market position of this fruit species. Further research should be focused on determining the causes of the trend in competitiveness indicators, as well as ways to strengthen them

Evaluation of tractors based on sustainability criteria using multi-criteria decision-making methods

Selecting a tractor is one of the most complex investment decisions an agricultural producer faces. There are numerous types of tractors on the market, each differing in technical, economic, and ecological characteristics. The aim of this research is to demonstrate how multi-criteria analysis methods can aid in this decision-making process, using a practical example of selecting an optimal tractor for the Myzeqe area in Albania. In this study, a decision-making model was developed based on a hybrid fuzzy methodology, combining the fuzzy LOPCOW (Logarithmic Percentage Change-Driven Objective Weighting) and fuzzy MABAC (Multi-Attributive Border Approximation Area Comparison) methods. The findings show that the determination of criterion weights is less crucial, with the T15 tractor exhibiting the best overall indicators. This research primarily contributes to developing a methodology in agriculture that enhances production outcomes

Assessment of the use of information and communication technology on the example of an agricultural farm

This paper applies the innovative multi-criteria decision-making method SiWeC (Simple Weight Calculation) to select ten criteria for the evaluation of an information and communication device (soil moisture sensor) on an agricultural farm. The objective was to select the predetermined factors in the form of criteria and, through their obtained weights, determine their importance in the usage of the given device. This, in turn, justifies the role of the applied method and its fuzzy logic approach. The results showed that criteria such as adaptability to working conditions and speed of obtaining information were given the highest weights by experts, suggesting that the acquisition of such devices should be focused on these characteristics. This encourages future research that should emphasize the inclusion of more criteria in the evaluation and the refinement of the existing method for further selections, given the dynamic nature of agricultural production and agribusiness in general

Application of Intuitionistic Fuzzy Approaches and Bonferroni Mean Operators in the Selection of Suppliers of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery for the Needs of the Agriculture 4.0 System.

The development of technology has influenced agricultural production and the establishment of the Agriculture 4.0 system in practice. This research is focused on the selection of equipment and machinery suppliers for the needs of the MAMEX Company. When selecting suppliers, an approach based on the application of an intuitionistic fuzzy set for decision-making was used. This approach allows the uncertainty present in decision-making to be incorporated, considered, and, hopefully, reduced in order to make a final decision on which of the observed suppliers is the most suitable for this company. Ten criteria were used that enable the application of sustainability in the supply chain. Eight local suppliers of equipment and machinery were observed with these criteria. The results obtained by applying the SWARA (Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) method showed that the most important criterion for selecting suppliers is the reliability and quality of equipment and machinery, while the results of the CORASO (COmpromise Ranking from Alternative Solutions) method showed that the SUP2 supplier is the best choice for establishing partnership relations with the MAMEX company. This supplier should help the MAMEX company improve its business and achieve better results in the market. The contribution of this research is to improve the application of intuitionistic fuzzy sets in decision-making, and to emphasize the importance of equipment and machinery in agricultural production in the Agriculture 4.0 system

Current State of Agricultural Land (Areas) as a Factor for Development of Plant Production in Serbia

The aim of this study is the review and analysis of the situation in the size of the utilised agricultural area (UAA) between two important statistical researches (2012 and 2023) in the Republic of Serbia. Based on the analysis, the average size of an agricultural holding is 6.4 ha, it raises one head of cattle, 5 heads of pigs, 3 sheep, 43 heads of poultry, and there are about 3 beehives. The number of holdings decreased (in 2023) in relation to 2018 by 10% on whole territory of the Republic of Serbia. The utilised agricultural area (UAA) in 2023 suffered from a decrease of 6.3% than the UAA in 2018, and it amounts 3,3 million ha. Also, areas under forest are decreasing by 48.2%, and it is alarming. The decrease in utilised agricultural areas influences areas under some of most important plants (wheat, corn, etc.), but is also noted that there is an increase of areas under vineyards in the Republic of Serbia. The inadequate distribution of agricultural land, the unplanned exploitation of natural resources and the undirected production can lead to the degradation of soil and significantly affect production

The application of artificial intelligence in agriculture

Agriculture represents a primary source of income and a key sector of the economy for many countries, providing raw materials for other industries and thereby contributing to economic development. With the constant growth of the global population, which brings an increased need for food, there arises the challenge of meeting global demand. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it is estimated that by 2050, it will be necessary to produce 60% more food to feed approximately 9.3 billion people. Agriculture also plays an important role in preserving the environment, maintaining biodiversity, and protecting natural resources, further emphasizing the need for innovative approaches in this sector. This paper analyzes the possibilities of applying artificial intelligence in agriculture to enable more efficient resource management and productivity improvement

Selection of Agricultural Processing Centers in Local Communities of North-East BiH: A Case Study

Strong entrepreneurship initiative is among the key factors that secure sustainability of certain rural communities. Like in other rural territories of Western Balkans limited by demographic and economic issues, rural space in BiH is facing expressed migratory processes and economically weak communities. No matter the sector, a proactive stance towards entrepreneurship is the trigger for improved quality-of-life. With good natural conditions for organizing agricultural production, north-east parts of BiH recommend themselves for establishing an agri-food processing center as suitable solution for developing rural communities. Selecting the most suitable location for this business was done using the multicriteria decision making analysis (DiWeC and fuzzy RAWEC methods). Results show that among the six municipalities, Gradačac fits the best as location for processing facility establishment. The chapter underlines vital criteria such as development of entrepreneurial activities, increase in employment, and advancements in life conditions

Rural tourism and local authority satisfaction: Social, economic, and environmental effects

The research examines rural tourism and local authority satisfaction and its social, economic, and environmental effects. The Republic of Serbia, with its scenic surroundings and historical sites, offers enormous potential for the growth of rural tourism. In many respects, local government is essential to the expansion of tourism. The purpose of his study is to examine how owners' opinions of the social, economic, and environmental effects in rural tourism regions are perceived. The key issue of the paper is the measurement of the effects of local authority in rural tourism and the perception of rural tourism household owners about the dimensions of sustainable development. The research was conducted using the methodology of partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The data for the SEM analysis were collected from a questionnaire among the owners of rural tourist householdsin the Republic of Serbia. The questions for analysis focused on three components of sustainable development: economic, environmental, and socio-cultural, as well as their impact on satisfaction with local authorities expressed by the owners of rural tourist households. The findings of the research suggest that local self-government units should pay more attention to the economic dimension of the sustainability of rural tourism. This study is one of the first to quantify the impact of local government on rural tourism from the viewpoint of rural tourist household owners using the SEM-PLS approach. For academics and stakeholders in rural tourism, the study's results and conclusions have significant implications and opportunities for the future