Bosnia and Herzegovina Digital Development Country Profile
Analysis of the country’s digital development status
Description
The "Digital Development Country Profile - Bosnia and Herzegovina" is a part of the ITU Office for Europe’s regional effort to provide a comparative analysis of the digital transformation of priority countries in the European region, namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine. The report analyses the nation’s digital transformation based on various experiences of ITU, the UN specialized agency for ICTs and other UN organizations, offering a broad overview of the activities and projects being implemented at a national level and in the wider region. The report describes the status of digital development in Bosnia and Herzegovina according to three building blocks: 1) access, relating to the status of the ICT infrastructures; 2) adoption, addressing digital skills and other such training; and 3) value creation, related to availability of digital public services. The status of digital agriculture is analysed specifically in the "value creation" section. The report provides an overview of the challenges to digital agriculture and the efforts to digitalize information, productivity and farm management in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and also explores such issues as education, health and waste management.
Technology
- Broadcasting and radio communication
- Big data
- Remote sensing
- Desktop/web-based application
- E-commerce/online marketplace
- GPS
- GIS
The report outlines various initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina in relation to the three building blocks. 1) Access, including spatial data integration through geoportal web applications, broadband mapping, 5G deployment and cybersecurity measures; 2) Adoption, emphasizing accessible information channels involving social and electronic media for the provision of language learning opportunities to refugees, migrants and asylum-seeking children, further highlighting digital transformation efforts through platforms such as the Digital Transformation Academy; assessment tools, such as “Digital Pulse'', for the evaluation of the digitalization progress, and the Akelius Digital Language course, a web platform for the sharing of knowledge that facilitates cooperation among public sector employees, and 3) Value creation, incşuding such solutions as an interactive dashboard through which ICT education-related statistics can be accessed by relevant administrative units, and the Information Waste Management System (WMS), which obliges all bodies dealing with waste to register and report data to the system. The resource further provides details of technology parks that have been established that promote innovation and technological advancement within the region, such as BIT Center Tuzla and ICBL Banja Luka. The chapter "Digital Agriculture” reports that efforts to modernize the laws related to agriculture are driven by the country’s European Union (EU) aspirations, while the Strategic Plan for Rural Development 2018–2021 provides an outline of the ICT integration measures that support rural farmers and the management of agricultural information. As part of its EU alignment requirements, Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to harmonize its agricultural data collection systems and participate in the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN).
Target
- Public sector
- Private sector
- Academia and research institutions
The main target users of the ITU Digital Development Country Profile reports are the ITU priority countries, public and private stakeholders and decision-makers at national level, and international stakeholders working in the field of digital development. Civil society organizations, academia and startups can all benefit from the resource in support of their digitalization initiatives.
Impact
The report aims to serve as a source of reference for future dialogues with country stakeholders related to the promotion of digitalization and related initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It can also serve as a baseline study guiding strategic decisions on initiatives to be undertaken within the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) on digital and ICT development matters. Finally, the report brings together numerous initiatives related to the digital transformation of the country.
Partners
FAO; UNICEF; UNDP; United Nations Bosnia and Herzegovina Country Team, UN Women and the Resident Coordinator Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina
