Scientific tourism constitutes the primary activity of the initiative. Over several days, visitors from various regions of the country and the world engage in scientific research  focused on data collection for whale shark conservation. A variety of activities are designed to encourage dialogue, reflection, and learning about the experiences of the day,  aiming to raise awareness and inspire attendees to share knowledge within their communities.

The integration of value-added services with solar-powered cold storages strengthens the overall service model, enhances farmer incomes and improves their ability to pay the user fee. Two value-added services were introduced in this pilot: solar-powered sorting and grading operations and the app "Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant" (YVCCA).

Sorting and grading operations, which are conventionally performed at packhouses, have been brought to the farmgate and solarised to avoid diesel consumption. This setup enables farmers to access reliable information about the quality of their produce during price negotiations with buyers.

Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant (YVCCA) is a mobile and web-based application that supports improved cold storage use, farmer decision-making and planning for scaling. It integrates three core functions. First, it enables farm produce management and predicts the quality and shelf life of apples based on a quality assessment at harvest and data on temperature and humidity in the cold storage units. Second, it identifies underserved areas without access to cold storages but high potential for implementation, by analyzing production data, satellite imagery and socio-economic indicators. This supports planning and targeted expansion of infrastructure. Third, it offers data-informed market linkage advice by combining data on weather, market volume and location, fresh-produce yields, real-time market prices and shelf-life estimates to recommend optimal sale timing and locations. Together, these functions improve both farmer income and the operational efficiency of cold storage services.

Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant (YVCCA) is an app that supports improved cold storage use, farmer decision-making, and planning for scaling. It integrates three functions. First, it enables farm produce management and predicts the quality and shelf life of apples based on a quality assessment at harvest and real-time data on temperature and humidity in the cold storage units. Second, it identifies underserved areas without access to cold storages but with large potential for adoption, by analysing production data, satellite imagery, and socio-economic indicators through. This supports planning and targeted expansion of infrastructure. Third, it offers data-informed market linkage advice by combining data on weather, market volume and
location, satellite images, fresh-produce yields, hygrothermal cold-storage sensors,
forecasted remaining shelf life of produce, and real-time market prices. Together, these functions improve both farmer income and the operational efficiency of cold storage services.

The Cooling as a Service (CaaS) model enables smallholder farmers and cooperatives to access solar-powered cold storage infrastructure without the burden of high initial investments and ownership. A technology provider (CoolCrop) installs, operates and maintains the cold storage units at or near the farmgate, and farmers or cooperatives pay a service fee to use the facility. This fee can be based on the quantity of produce stored, such as by weight or crate, or defined as a flat rate and is based on the total costs of installing, operating, maintaining, and financing the equipment. The viability of the intervention depends on selecting an appropriate pricing strategy and the financial structure of the initial investment. Service providers earn revenue through storage and transportation fees, as well as through value-added services such as sorting and grading, and potentially through net metering of surplus solar energy. Farmers and cooperatives benefit from the reduction of post-harvest losses, preservation of quality and shelf life and the possibility to delay sales beyond market gluts, leading to improved income.

Randilen Wildlife Management Area (WMA) generates tourism income that directly supports community development, fostering sustainable growth and improving local livelihoods. Revenue from tourism activities, such as park entry fees, guided tours, and eco-lodges, is reinvested in key sectors like education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Additionally, these funds empower local communities by creating jobs, enhancing conservation efforts, and supporting small businesses. The income also contributes to cultural preservation and environmental sustainability, ensuring long-term economic stability while promoting responsible tourism practices that benefit both people and wildlife.

Trust-building is essential for an effective feedback mechanism, ensuring stakeholders feel safe raising concerns. Without trust, people may hesitate to report issues due to fear of retaliation or inaction, undermining the system’s purpose.

As stakeholders see their concerns addressed, trust deepens, leading to greater participation and stronger relationships between communities and conservation partners. Over time, this trust improves conflict resolution and increases local support for conservation efforts.

The feedback mechanism increases transparency by providing a structured, accessible, and confidential way for community members to voice concerns or share feedback. With lock boxes placed in four zones, individuals can submit feedback without needing to travel or fear retaliation. A multi-organization response team ensures impartial review, demonstrating accountability and reducing perceptions of bias. Regular feedback reviews and community meetings provide updates on how concerns are addressed, reinforcing trust in the process and strengthening community confidence in conservation efforts.

A key achievement of the project is the establishment of a new technological unit within the Ministry of Agriculture, which will leverage drone technology for more efficient monitoring of agricultural practices and their impact on biodiversity. This unit will also support environmental agencies and organizations in enhancing biodiversity management.

To operationalize this initiative, the project, in collaboration with Eco Fund, has secured the procurement of two drones and comprehensive training for the first-ever drone operator unit within the Ministry. Additionally, the project has established cooperation between this unit and Public enterprise for management of national parks (PENP) and managers of nature parks Komovi and Orjen, ensuring that relevant stakeholders gain access to critical monitoring data and analysis.

Through the project’s efforts to assess the impacts of climate change on Montenegro’s biodiversity, it has become evident that bark beetles (Scolytinae) pose a significant threat to forest health across the country. These insects, which belong to the Curculionidae family, burrow into tree bark to feed and reproduce, causing severe damage that lead to large-scale tree mortality in Montenegro’s forests.

To combat this challenge, the project has procured 85 pheromone traps, which were strategically placed in National Park Prokletije and National Park Durmitor during May 2024. These traps function by attracting and capturing adult beetles, thereby reducing their population and mitigating the risk of further infestations. Initial results indicate capturing of 12.746.015 bark beetles during a three-month period showcasing the effectiveness of this targeted intervention.

Recognizing urgent issues within Montenegro’s national parks—such as deforestation caused by pests, lack of reliable forestry data, and illegal logging—the project has implemented cutting-edge technology to improve forest management. In National Park Prokletije, a pilot initiative has introduced a tree tagging system that enables individual tree identification and monitoring. Each tree tag stores key information, including tree species, age, health status, and geolocation.

Through this initiative, the project has procured OKO Business connected product cloud technology, 20,000 tree tags, and associated readers while providing specialized training for employees in the PENP and National Park Prokletije. The tagging process, conducted in collaboration with PENP and NP Prokletije, has resulted in the identification and tagging of 20.000 trees over a period of three months, leading to the creation of a digital forest inventory database. This database will be accessible to PENP and NP Prokletije and will play a role in future forest conservation and management efforts especially in the context of monitoring the status of the forest in NP Prokletije.