Abstract To preserve resources for future generations and promote rural development, supporting ecotourism is essential. This paper provides guidelines for developing ecotourism, highlighting its role in environmental conservation. While mass tourism benefits rural communities, it can cause significant environmental harm. Therefore, this research promotes ecotourism as a sustainable alternative. In rural areas, ecotourism supports development by responsibly using natural resources. The study focuses on the potential of rural settlements in the Semberija region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, assessing their capacity for ecotourism to aid local development. A decision model was developed, considering four main criteria - natural, infrastructure, socio-cultural, and economic - and their sub-criteria. This model evaluates six rural communities’ ecotourism potential. To determine the importance of each criterion, a fuzzy weighting method with the Bonferroni mean operator was used, revealing economic factors as the most influential. The fuzzy ranking method then ranked the settlements, with Amajlije identified as having the highest ecotourism potential. The findings suggest that promoting ecotourism in Amajlije and similar communities can support sustainable rural development, balancing environmental preservation with economic growth.

The primary objective of this study was to develop a predictive model for the supply of live livestock in the Republic of Croatia for the period 2024-2029, based on the analysis of historical data. Livestock production has long been a strategically important sector in Croatia, supported by a strong tradition and a notable presence of indigenous breeds. Nevertheless, despite these advantages, the supply of live livestock per production unit has demonstrated persistent negative trends. The study applies the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model to analyze time series data from 2019 to 2023 in order to identify structural patterns and forecast future supply dynamics. Supplementary statistical and econometric methods are employed to examine variation, autocorrelation, and the significance of fluctuations within the series. The analysis also highlights that the cost of production, as a key non-price determinant, plays a decisive role in shaping livestock supply trends. Findings indicate a regressive trend across most livestock sectors, emphasizing the need for targeted policy measures to stabilize and enhance future production.

The purpose of the paper is to show, through the selection of given criteria, which of them has the greatest impact on food losses in an agricultural-food company. For this purpose, an innovative expert method of multi-criteria decision-making, SiWeC (Simple Weight Calculation), and its fuzzy variant, was applied. The results show that the criteria “poor handling of products during transport” and “inadequate packaging and handling of products” have the greatest impact. Considering the already existing plan of the company to train this part of the work processes, the expert assessment confirms the results of the research. Also, the successful use of this method with the application of fuzzy logic was confirmed, and future research should be directed towards the development of new ways of researching the influence of individual factors on the entire process of supplying food to end consumers.

The aim of this study was to select the best marketing communication channel for a medium-sized agricultural company in the area of the city of Bijeljina by applying multi-criteria decision-making methods. Eight criteria were used for the research, and five communication channels were selected. The research on the importance of individual criteria was influenced by the commercial management of the company in question with their common attitude, i.e. assessment. The Entropy - MABAC method of multi-criteria decision-making was used for the methodology. The results show that the criterion of diversity of new information is the most significant. The best-rated communication channel is the company’s good image. The second-best rated alternative is the use of the internet, specifically social media. The results provide a good basis for further research in this area with the aim of determining the factors that influence the choice of future promotion methods and obtaining useful information.

Paper presents a model for the optimization of primary milk production in the hillymountainous regions of the Republic of Serbia. The goal of creating the model is to demonstrate and analyze the conditions and outcomes of production at the farm, while to find the optimal production structure, considering the organizational, economic, technical, and technological circumstances in which the farm performs its agricultural activities. The model is based on the linear programming optimization method. A mathematical model, or objective function, was established, and constraints were identified. A logical model was created for optimization. The main goal of solving the linear programming problem is to find the maximum or minimum of the objective function. In presented model, the task is to maximize the objective function, what is represented by the farm's net income. By using the linear programming, it is possible to determine the optimal quantities of resources and products to maximize net income, while adhering to resource constraints and other relevant factors.

This study focuses on the theoretical analysis of the application of modeling and mathematical, particularly linear programming, in managerial processes within the agro-industrial complex. The authors have dedicated themselves specifically to defining planning processes, classifying models, and organizing production structures, including vertical and horizontal structures. Despite the fact that the benefits of linear programming have been proven, it is still not widely accepted and applied in our region. The reasons for this can be found in the relative complexity of the process, both in creating logical and mathematical models, and in interpreting results. Although there are specialized software and add-ons such as Solver in MS Excel, they are still not accessible enough to a wider range of users in the agro-industrial sector. It is evident that there is a need for the development of new specialized software solutions with user-friendly interfaces, which would make them more accessible, primarily to advisors, and then to agricultural producers.

The agriculture sector in the Republic of Serbia holds significant economic and social importance due to its substantial contribution to domestic gross domestic product (GDP) and employment of a large number of people. Agricultural products play a crucial role in Serbia's export structure. Food is one of Serbia's major export products, with a trade surplus steadily increasing since 2005. Fruit cultivation, as part of the agricultural sector, is of great importance, with domestic producers effectively utilizing natural advantages for production, thus achieving recognition and competitiveness internationally. This study aims to analyze the trends in foreign trade parameters over a decade, focusing on one agricultural product, specifically apricots. The research employs a quantitative research method using standard descriptive statistical instruments. Results indicate that Serbia maintains a trade surplus in apricots, with significant fluctuations and varying growth and decline trends in analyzed trade parameters over the period.