A participative process to develop national policy guidelines for landscape fire management (LFM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republika Srpska) has officially been launched, bringing together key stakeholders to jointly define a more coordinated approach to landscape fire risks.
The process was initiated during a meeting of the LFM Network, held in Banja Luka on 21 April 2026, with around 20 representatives from relevant institutions and organisations engaged in LFM and policy development.
Opening remarks by Slavko Stupar from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska and Cvetan Nikolovski, Team Leader of the Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans (LFMWB) Programme, highlighted the increasing complexity of landscape fire risks and the need for coordinated, cross-sectoral action. Both emphasised the importance of the LFM Network as a platform for continuous policy dialogue and institutional cooperation.
During the meeting, the proposed structure and methodology for developing the policy guidelines were presented by Aleksandar Draganic, local policy expert from the NGO Belgrade Open School. Participants contributed practical insights and country-specific perspectives, helping ensure that the guidelines reflect institutional context and operational realities.
Rather than a standalone event, the meeting marks the beginning of a broader, consultative process. Inputs gathered will inform the drafting phase, with further stakeholder engagement planned in the coming months.
The future guidelines are expected to support a more integrated approach to LFM, covering prevention, preparedness, response, and post-fire recovery, while strengthening cooperation among institutions involved in the sector.
The meeting was organised within the framework of the LFMWB Programme, financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and coordinated by Farmahem – Skopje as the Regional Executive Agency, with backstopping support from Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation.