TIRANA, June 10 /ATA/ – German government and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) are close partners supporting agricultural development and innovations throughout Albania, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Frida Krifca said in her remarks at a ceremony marking the launch of the second phase of the Sustainable Rural Development project.
The project is funded by the German and Swiss Governments and implemented by GIZ Albania, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Tourism and Environment was launched at the premises of GIZ Albania Office.
Agriculture Minister said that hard work has been done to deliver on the new sustainable agricultural and rural development programme with an emphasis on greenhouse vegetables, fruits, and dairy, certified products, boosting agricultural exports, modernization of the medicinal plants and aromatic herbs, increasing food safety, promotion of locally grown and authentic produce and agritourism.
Krifca said that the second phase of the “Sustainable Rural Development” project provides farmers with an additional tool to increase farm productivity.
The project aims to increase competitiveness and income in rural areas throughout its implementation in the next four years (2023-2026), contributing to the overall sustainable development of the country. Working closely with Albanian businesses and government, the project will support development policies and innovative practices in agriculture and rural tourism, promoting green growth, digitization and diversity, in alignment with the country’s EU accession process.
Through initiatives such as the adoption of biological pest control methods, the aim is to improve the quality and quantity of their production.
In parallel with the support given in the agricultural sector, the project aims to promote rural tourism, focusing on agritourism, outdoor sports and destination management.
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