📘 National Report Published: Mapping Digital Skills and Education in Agri-Food Sector in North Macedonia

Date of Publication: March 2025
Location: Skopje – Belgrade

We are pleased to announce the release of the National Report on Mapping and Analysis of Education and Training Capacities for the Agri-Food Sector in North Macedonia, developed within the framework of the regional SMARTLABOR project – a joint initiative for strengthening alliances in innovation, digitalization, and labour market policy in the Western Balkans.

🔍 What’s in the Report?
This comprehensive study explores how education and training systems are (or aren’t) meeting the evolving needs of North Macedonia’s agri-food sector. It highlights:

Growing digital skills gaps across all levels of agri-food employment
Mismatches between labour market demands and the current education offerings
Low student interest in agri-food studies and limited integration of modern technologies
Insights from focus group discussions with educators, business leaders, and policymakers

📊 Key findings include:

A 57% drop in agri-sector employment since 2014
Agriculture contributes 6.6% to national GDP, yet struggles to attract ICT-skilled workers
ESCO-mapped skills reveal urgent needs in precision farming, data analysis, and e-commerce
New programs such as Digital Agriculture at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University offer promising steps forward

📌 Why it matters:

Modernizing the agri-food sector requires more than new technology—it demands strategic partnerships, curriculum reform, and inclusive training policies. This report provides a roadmap for aligning education with economic growth, sustainability, and EU integration objectives.

📥 Download the Report

👉 Click here to access the full national report (PDF)Download

📚 Published by:

IMPETUS – Center for Internet, Development and Good Governance, North Macedonia
Centre for Public Policy Research / Re: People, Serbia

📢 With support from:

The national report “Mapping and Analysis of Education and Training Capacities for the Agri Food Sector in North Macedonia“ was with the support of the ‘SMART Balkans – Civil Society for Shared Society in the Western Balkans“ regional project implemented by Centar za promociju civilnog društva (CPCD), Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM), and the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM), and financially supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA). The content of the national report is the sole responsibility of the project implementers and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA) or SMART Balkans consortium.