ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES ? BENEFIT FOR THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

The agricultural sector is of great importance for the Republic of Macedonia. It covers 10% of the total GDP and about 20% of the total employees in the country. Today, farmers face difficulties in achieving efficient production and selling their products on the international markets. The reasons are numerous, and the most important are climate changes (high temperatures, floods, and droughts), international agricultural policies and competitiveness between farmers. These challenges are the reason to ask “how to improve conditions in the agricultural production and thereby to increase the benefit of farmers”. Therefore, this paper aims to emphasize the necessity of using renewable energy sources and energy efficiency implementation in the agricultural sector in the Republic of Macedonia. The purpose is to increase the awareness of farmers that the properly utilisation of energy and environmental friendly practices can increase the efficiency of production and provide bigger benefits.The research gives an explanation in terms of energy efficiency and different types of renewable sources of energy, followed by the possibilities for their implementation. The survey is based on the analysis made on the existing farms and the use of efficient and environmental friendly energies in different agricultural sub-sectors in the country. At the end, the use of those technologies is explained and confirmed, not only with economic benefit for farmers, but also with benefit to the whole environment.