SARIB

Partner No. 7: FACULTY of AGRICULTURE BANJA LUKA
Dept. of Soil Science

Activities at the Department of Soil Sciences

The Dept. of Soil Sciences, as a part of Institute of Agroecology and Soil, is responsible for education as well as basic and applied research in the following areas: pedology, soil physics, soil chemistry, soil classificationa, soil fertility and plant nutrition, soil management, soil and water conservation, soil management (soil properties and processes with respect to soil tillage), land reclamation (irrigation and drainage and water quality management), soil remediation measures, environmental protection.

Staff

1. Doc. Dr Mihajlo Markovic, pedology, land reclamation, HEAD of the Dept.
2. Doc. Dr Ilija Komqenovic, soil tillage, soil management
3. Prof. Dr Vaso Bojanic, chemistry and biochemistry,
4. Doc. Dr Borislav Rajlic, land technic,

Space, laboratory and equipment
We have space and laboratory with equipment for field and laboratory soil investigations. As our laboratory is not so good equipped, because of the war and post-war period, due to participation the international and national Projects (such is RECOAL),we have intention to improve our lab-equipment.

About the Faculty:
Faculty of Agriculture - Banja Luka was founded on 1992. It is located in the building of the former Higher Agricultural school. There are four courses at the Faculty now: general direction, farming and vegetable production, fruit and viticulture growing, livestock. Study lasts four years (8 semesters). After finishing of the study the students receive academic name B. Sc. Agr. After that they can be specialized in very different areas and also attend master’s studies (plant production: husbandry farming and vegetable growing, fruit growing, livestock nutrition, etc.), according to their wishes.

Teaching staff:
At the Faculty is working 19 teachers as a permanent staff: 8 professors, 6 assistant - lecturers and 5 assistants. collaborators and clerks. Beside that we have 30 teachers as a part-time employee: 23 professors and 7 assistant-lecturers and assistants, from Banja Luka, Novi Sad and Belgrade.

Development strategy:
Republika Srpska has some advantages according to the other surrounding countries in Europe for Agricultural production. Tradition, soils, water, climate are some elements for good agriculture – continental type. We will develop husbandry farming and vegetable growing, fruit growing. This kind of production can not develop without expert’s, scientific’s and cadre’s support.
Because of the war and hard after-war period the Faculty is not build completely yet, we are in transition and it necessary needs building and equipping of laboratories. The development of the scientific - research activities is insufficient, at this moment, because of lack of finances and laboratory equipment, but we are working on solving these problems.

We will accept European standards in education, and also appropriate curricula that will be adequate for students and our society.
That means, Development strategy priorities for our faculty will be as follow:
1. improvement of quality and efficiency of educational process by implementing EU educational standards
2. developing educational skills and courses in following areas: crop production, vegetable production, fruit production which are in line with our capabilities, tradition and regional needs.
3. developing inter-entity and trans-European student and University staff mobility program in order to reach high level of our capacity utilization and quality improvement.

This group will contribute to SARIB in general data collection and interpretation, participation at sampling, consultation in social-economic aspects.

PROJECTS:
- D C X 1. 2. 2. – Irrigation as a factor of soil water regime managing "Programming of rates and terms of crops irrigation" (between 1989 and 1992). Locality: Dubljani (Popovo Polje), between LJubinje and Trebinje. Principal investigator: Prof. Mihovil Vlahinic, D. Sc.
- YU – AM research project No. 619 – Agrohidrology "Evapotranspiration studies on different crops and irrigation water requirements" (between 1989 and 1992). Locality: Buna near Mostar. Principal investigator: Prof. Mihovil Vlahinic, D. Sc.
- Project with the “Different drainage methods of heavy soil types - pseudogley soil” between 1989 and 1992).Locality: Krusik near Tuzla. Principal investigator: Prof. Mihovil Vlahinic, D. Sc.
- Tempus Phare Joint European Project: "Reorientation of academic education in Agriculture BIH", AC_JEP-13104-98, two years:1999 and 2000 (Project Officer).
- Tempus Phare Joint European Project: "Development of Student Mobility program in BIH", AC_JEP-16104-02, two years (Management Board).
- EC Project "Institutional support to Ministries of Agriculture in BIH", as a local expert in 2002.
- NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN (NEAP)-BIH-Workind group: “Use, protection and management of agricultural land” (Co-ordinator from RS).
- INstitutional FRAmework for Regional Environmental Development (LIFE 00/TCY/BiH/000042), from 2002.
- Local Institutional Capacity Development in Environmentally Sensitive Areas (LIFE 00/TCY/BiH/000041), from 2002.

List of selected publications:
1. Przulj N., Mladenov N., Momcilovic Vojislava, Knezevic D., Bogdanovic M., Markovic M. (1997): Stability of Grain Yield and Some Grain Physical Characteristics in Malting Barley. Proceedings of Agro Annual Meeting, China 97, pp. 570-576. China Agriculture Press, Beijing.
2. Komljenovic I., Sumatic Nada, Todorovic J., Markovic M. (2000): The effects of reduced soil tillage on weedness with and without aplication of herbicides. 6th Congress on weeds. Banja Koviljaca, 19-22 June 2000. Proceedings, pp. 416-426.
3. Markovic M., Komljenovic I., Predic T., Lukic R., Nozinic M. (2000): Effect of war on soil. Proceedings of the second scientific-technical meeting Ecological consequences of the war in environment, Teslic, 3-5. November. Ecologica, pp. 162-164. Beograd-Banja Luka, Specal edition, No. 6.
4. Milic Mira, Markovic, M. (2001): The mesozoic carbonates rocks in the western part of Republic of Srpska and their use for soil liming. Agroznanje 3, pp. 207-215. Banja Luka.
5. Markovic, M., Supic, D. (2003): Properties of Pseudogley Soil in Gradiska Area with Reclamation Measures Recommendation. Agroznanje IV (1), 142-153. Banja Luka.