Rural development implies a set of policies, measures and activities aimed at comprehensive economic, social and cultural progress of the rural population, which are planned and implemented with the respect to the principles of sustainable development, preservation and improvement of the quality of the environment. 

The basis for implementation of BiH's rural development policy is defined by the Strategic Plan for Rural Development of BiH. The Strategic Rural Development Plan sets out programs, measures and other activities to achieve these goals, establishes monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and the necessary funding and procedures for its use. Through the development of the Strategic Rural Development Plan, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH coordinates and ensures that all decisions regarding rural development policy planning are made in agreement, cooperation and with the active participation of representatives of all institutions at all levels of public administration with competences in areas of rural development. 

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations is an institution at the state level in charge of tasks and activities which are within jurisdiction of BiH related to the definition of policies, basic principles, coordination of activities and harmonization of the plans of the entity authorities and institutions at an international level in the field agriculture, and hence rural development. Entity institutions, primarily the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Srpska, as well as the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Brcko District of BiH, are responsible for the direct implementation of rural development policy. In the Federation of BiH, a part of the competence in the field of agriculture and rural development is the responsibility of the public administration units at cantonal level. Also, municipalities, as the smallest administrative units, have a part of the competencies and obligations in implementing the rural development policy.

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (2018-2021) - FRAMEWORK DOCUMENT