EnvPro is launching a new project dedicated to protecting agriculture in the Lake Skadar Basin from floods, droughts and wildfires, hazards whose impact on local communities is growing year after year.
The Lake Skadar Basin, including the Bojana River basin area, is one of Montenegro's most important areas both ecologically and agriculturally. In the fertile Zeta and Bjelopavlići Plain, as well as Ana e Malit, floods, droughts and wildfires are putting crops, livestock and farmers' livelihoods increasingly at risk. Montenegro faces flood risks well above the EU average, while over 16% of its agricultural land is under very high wildfire risk. Despite this, the region has so far lacked a comprehensive early warning system capable of providing farmers with timely, actionable information to plan for and protect their crops, livestock and property.
Under the MHEWS project, EnvPro will design and establish an early warning system that combines the latest technological solutions, artificial intelligence, satellite remote sensing, hydrological and wildfire forecasting, and mobile communication, enabling local communities, particularly farmers, to recognize, prepare for and respond to natural hazards in a timely manner.
The project is designed to address the four key elements of an early warning system:
Special emphasis will be placed on capacity building and the involvement of the local population, to ensure the system is effective and sustainable in the long term.
The Lake Skadar Basin is recognized as a key biodiversity area, an internationally important habitat for birds, plants and fungi, a Ramsar site, and, as of June 2026, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Strengthening the climate resilience of agriculture in this area therefore contributes both to nature conservation and to the livelihoods of the local communities that depend on it.
The project "Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) for Agriculture in the Lake Skadar Basin, Montenegro" is implemented by NGO EnvPro, with the financial support of the L'Oréal Climate Emergency Fund.
The project started on 1 June 2026 and runs for 24 months. Support is provided by the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development, the Public Enterprise for National Parks of Montenegro, the Institute of Hydrometeorology and Seismology of Montenegro, Union of Beekeeping Associations of Montenegro, as well as the Capital City of Podgorica and the municipalities of Zeta, Nikšić and Ulcinj.
