TIRANA, January 9 /ATA/ Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Andis Salla stated that the teams of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have been engaged together with verification groups on the ground to identify the damages and to support the farmers affected by bad weather.
Speaking at the meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies, chaired by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister Salla said that special groups that also include veterinarians have been carrying out the relevant verifications to accurately identify the damages in livestock.
“The teams of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have been and are on the ground, setting up verification groups in all the affected areas, composed by veterinarians, to accurately identify the damages in livestock. Our experts are providing assistance to the farmers in every affected area”, said Salla.
He emphasized that, in cooperation with the teams of the Ministry of Defense, have been carried out evacuations of several livestock farms endangered by the presence of water and there has been ensured a supply of food for livestock on farms that have had emergency needs.
According to the minister, the pumping stations are on full alert and have been functioning throughout the country, significantly helping in the process of bringing the situation back to normality. In parallel, there is work underway to open drainage canals where necessary, while 29 excavators are on alert at the national level and have been put into operation in problematic areas with the presence of water.
“We have also intervened in the repair of embankments in Sheqeras, Bilisht and Devoll and the work will continue without interruption,” he stated.
The minister assured that the relevant institutions will continue monitoring the situation and supporting farmers until the consequences of the bad weather are fully addressed.
“We are committed to carrying out an accurate evaluation of the damages in agriculture and for all those affected by this situation, in order to have a complete picture of the situation,” stated Minister Salla.
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