Life together indicator | Potoci

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Ode to Joy

_{Author: Mirza Lalić}

As its very name indicates, our village of Potoci, located about ten kilometers north from the city of Mostar, got its name from the large number of streams, brooks, and rivulets that flow through it. The great water potential, a precious treasure and blessing, has remained unutilized for years, even decades. Through our village flows the river Neretva, and close to the village are two lakes: one located a couple of kilometers to the south and the other a couple of kilometers north.

Nowadays, this water potential is being fully utilized and harnessed to its maximum capacity, and hence the rivulets, brooks, and streams have become streams of joy that benefit citizens. Since I live and work in the village of Potoci, I have personally advocated for the construction of proper irrigation systems to support the needs of various agricultural areas such as large fields, meadows, orchards, vegetable gardens, agricultural crops, and the like. In the last few years, agriculture has been, by far, the most important economic sector in Potoci, and nearly every citizen/resident owns and cultivates a plot of land or field. Some do so for their own needs, others as a hobby, and some for commercial purposes, to make a living.

Like many others, I own multiple fields and plots that I cultivate every year. I do this for my own needs, especially for my health, because I know that what I consume from my garden is healthy and tasty. Before the irrigation system was implemented, it was very challenging to irrigate and take care of vegetable gardens, arable fields, and orchards. This required daily work and significant effort, especially during hot summer days when the temperature in this area reaches 50 degrees Celsius in the shade.

Two or three decades ago, as an informal group of citizens, we organized volunteer actions to clean, build, and connect and redirect streams and rivulets and channel the water all the way to our fields and orchards. Today it is much easier thanks to the efficient irrigation system. Although I am doing it for my purposes, I was one of the big advocates for the expansion of the irrigation system to benefit those involved in commercial farming in Potoci, and there is a significant number of them for sure. A large number of my fellow citizens are engaged in planting potatoes, onions, lettuce, carrots, and various types of vegetables that they sell at the farmers’ market on weekends.

Many of my acquaintances, neighbors, and friends plant strawberries and raspberries, which also require a lot of effort and watering during the growing season, and the strawberries from Potoci are particularly attractive and delicious. The efficient irrigation system in Potoci made everyday life easier for people and particularly assisted those who rely on agriculture for their livelihood. When you pass through the village of Potoci, you see numerous cultivated meadows, fields, pastures, orchards, and vegetable gardens, which all emphasize the beauty and agricultural richness of our village.

Our waters and streams have been utilized and harnessed as a water resource as well as streams of joy that have made a large number of people and households happy. Those streams and water are a rare treasure not to be found everywhere in the world.