We participated in the “1st International Karst Conference – Project Karst”..

We attended “1. International Karst Conference – Karst Project “, which was held on October 28, 2019, at the Solaris Convention Center in Sibenik. The conference was organized by the Agrobiz portal with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture. The Minister of Agriculture, M.Sc. Marija Vučković, State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Tugomir Majdak, professors from the Study of Mediterranean Agriculture, University of Split, directors of the Kornati National Park and the Vransko Lake Nature Park, representatives of local action groups, farmers and many others.

The conference aimed to raise awareness of the importance of preserving karst systems as a unique and invaluable natural heritage. Four panels were held at the conference, with topics on the karst areas – the challenge of survival, the economy of karst, land management and living on karst or living off karst. Much of the conference focused on agriculture in the karst areas, that is, all the problems facing our farmers in 8 karst counties, while only one panel talked about protected karst areas.

Although it was interesting to hear all the problems facing our farmers in karst areas, we believe that educating farmers and locals about karst and its laws is the most important factor in the development of this area and that the problem of stagnation and depopulation of this area can only be addressed through interdisciplinary access, interconnectivity, cooperation and sustainable development, because all this calls into question not only the conservation of biodiversity and geo-diversity but also the very question of the survival of our rich cultural heritage and people in the area.