The Agribusiness innovation educational centre (ABIEC) opened in Teslic on 29 June. The Centre is established was part of the project ECO FOOD TURA funded by European Union from IPA Cross Border Cooperation Programme Croatia-Bosnia and Herzegovina 2007-2013.

The Project contributes to the development and strengthening of eco-friendly economy and to the increase of social cohesion in cross-border areas through cooperation, networking and implementation of joint activities. Purpose of the Centre is to provide services and to support starting new business activities as incentives for the development of SMEs, cooperatives and associations in agribusiness sector with special emphasis on eco-production and production of medicinal and aromatic plants.

Within the Centre, the beneficiaries have at disposal equipment for drying fruits, vegetables and medicinal and aromatic herbs, equipment for production of essential oils, equipment and premises for education as well as an expert (agronomist) who provides them with professional advisory services, as well as advice on business plans and project development in agribusiness. Services that ABIEC offers will, through practical example, show the advantages of expansion and/or redirecting from small profitable productions to production and processing of products of which one can have bigger profit as well as advantages of conducting the ecological production gaining final products with higher added value.

The Centre was officially opened by Edbera Biković, Programme Manager on behalf of Delegation of EU in BiH and Milovan Stanković, Assistant to the Mayor of Teslić municipality.

Total value of the project is 397.645,94 EUR, out of which 220.942,49 EUR is ensured for implementation of planned activities on BiH side, with EU funding of 84,98 % or 187.755,36 EUR. The rest was provided by the Teslić municipality.

The lead project partner in BiH is the Association of entrepreneurs and employers Žepče, while the lead partner in Croatia is Local Development Agency “VJEVERICA” Ltd. Partners on the project are also Teslić municipality, Agency for development of Vukovar-Srijem county “HRAST”, Municipality of Drenovci, Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek and Elementary school Ivan Meštrović, Drenovci.