Where Does Agriculture Thrive in Montenegro? Shocking Data on Farms and Their Leaders!
Did you know that Montenegro has a total of only 26,000 agricultural farms? And that’s not all – 93% of these are business entities, while only 26% are family farms! Yes, you read that right, family farms are far fewer, employing only 53 people, while business farms employ 1,000 people.
Where are the most and least farmers? The highest number of agricultural farms are in Bijelo Polje (3,000), Nikšić (3,000), Pljevlja (2,000), and Podgorica (2,000). On the other hand, municipalities like Herceg Novi, Kotor, Gusinje, Budva, and Tivat have the fewest farms. Sounds like agriculture is retreating from coastal and tourist areas, doesn’t it?
Who runs the farms? Men or women? Out of the total farms, 23,000 are run by men, while only 3,000 are run by women. The workforce in farms consists of 18,000 women and 34,000 men. Most farm managers have completed secondary school (11,000), but there are also 2,000 with university degrees, 56 masters, and even 6 doctors of science! Did you expect agriculture in Montenegro to be so educated?
Age of farm leaders The youngest farm leaders are in Tuzi with an average age of 55, while the oldest are in Pljevlja with an average age of 64. Is this a sign that young people are fleeing agriculture or that it’s a job for the experienced?
What do these data tell us? Clearly, agriculture in Montenegro has its hotspots and dead zones. Family farms are in the minority, and men dominate farm management. The education level of leaders is impressive, but the age structure might be alarming for the sector’s future.
If you thought agriculture was just for uneducated peasants, think again! These data shed new light on the state of Montenegrin agriculture. What do you think – will the youth return to the countryside, or will agriculture remain in the hands of the older generation? Share your thoughts, maybe together we’ll figure out the next step for Montenegrin agriculture!
Source: Data from the agricultural census conducted last year in Montenegro, published on the Press DOO portal.
