The Institute for Animal Husbandry Belgrade-Zemun is participating as a partner in the international Erasmus+ project SMART STEP – Climate-Smart Steps in Management and Improvement of Grasslands, which is focused on improving knowledge, practice, and educational resources in the field of sustainable grassland management under climate change conditions.
The project is being implemented from 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2027, with a total budget of EUR 250,000, and is coordinated by Bilecik Seyh Edebali University from Türkiye. In addition to the Institute for Animal Husbandry, the project also involves partners from Türkiye, Austria, Spain, and Poland.
The main objective of the SMART STEP project is the development and implementation of innovative educational resources that will contribute to the protection, adaptive management, and improvement of grassland ecosystems under changing climatic conditions. Particular emphasis is placed on strengthening cooperation among researchers, experts, teaching staff, advisors, and farmers, as well as on the transfer of good practices between partner countries.
Within the project, several work packages and outputs are planned, including an analysis of the current status and management systems of semi-natural grasslands in the partner countries, a catalogue of key grassland plant species, guides to good digital practices, training modules, video podcasts, as well as a guide on the use of genetic resource banks in biodiversity conservation and the improvement of semi-natural grasslands.
By participating in this project, the Institute for Animal Husbandry Belgrade-Zemun further confirms its commitment to international cooperation, the development of sustainable livestock production systems, and the advancement of knowledge in the field of grassland management, as grasslands represent an important resource for livestock production, biodiversity conservation, and the adaptation of agriculture to climate change.
The project results are primarily intended for agricultural engineers, students of agricultural sciences, researchers and teaching staff, advisors, and farmers, but also for the wider public interested in sustainable agriculture and the protection of natural resources.