The first meeting of the Stakeholders’ Forum in Serbia within the international project RuralProof was held in the Municipality of Bač.

The RuralProof project aims to reduce the development gap between urban and rural areas by shaping policies that better respond to the needs of local communities. The focus is on fostering balanced development, tackling depopulation, and strengthening the economic potential of rural areas.

The meeting gathered local institutions and organizations representatives, including the Secondary Agricultural School in Bač, the Tourist Organisation Bač, the Local Council Selenča, Fruit Producers Cooperative Bačka jagoda, Local Action Group Ravnica Bačke, and the Municipality of Bač.

Participants discussed the project, as well as the Local Development Plan of the Municipality of Bač 2022–2028, and highlighted local priorities and challenges. The session concluded with the signing of the Cooperation Agreement, formally establishing the Stakeholders’ Fora.

This Fora marks an important step towards joint efforts to create better living conditions in rural communities. In the coming period, follow-up meetings and a status quo analysis are planned in the Municipality of Bač.