Although rural areas are not an economic driving force, they are important as they represent an existential basis for a significant number of people, especially those who cannot participate in public economy. It is a common fact that the unemployment rate is high in rural areas, which clearly indicates the problem of non-existent opportunity for employment. It is only possible to change this issue with a large investment in the development of rural areas. 

The fact that people living in rural areas own the soil of excellent quality in their yards presents an opportunity for introducing a new model of agricultural business, whose aim is to increase productivity and achieve self-employment.  

This is precisely the aim of the Project AGRINNO2, as a follow-up of the Project AGRINNO: to help the unemployed people living in rural areas in the cross-border regions to start or improve agricultural production in their gardens and yards by using innovations in agriculture, with the aim of enhancing the productivity and production cost-effectiveness. Besides the existing resources, it is necessary to define a model with a low level of investment so that the unemployed population is given a chance for self-employment.

Through the implementation of the project activities, which include transfer of knowledge and innovative technologies related to growing medicinal and aromatic herbs and spices, high-quality end-products are produced. Adequately processed medicinal and aromatic herbs are products with added value, for which there is a great demand on the market.

Therefore, the target groups – schools of agriculture, associations, young producers and processors will gain the contemporary knowledge regarding growing and processing medicinal plants, as well as learn about the knowledge and experience of Serbian and Hungarian producers in processing and product placement on the market. The workshops within the “Growing Medicinal Herbs and Spices” seminar cover the following topics:

1. 1. Introduction to medicinal and aromatic herbs and spices
   2. The basics of technology of growing medicinal plants (high mallow and common mallow, basil, echinacea, lemon balm, hyssop, fennel, grey musk sage, marigold, sage)
   3. The processing of medicinal and aromatic herbs and spices
   4. The preservation of medicinal and aromatic herbs and spices
   5. Products containing medicinal and aromatic herbs and spices
   6. Quality control of medicinal and aromatic herbs and spices
   7. Medicinal herbs and rural tourism