This report highlights the journey of countries that have moved from fragmented efforts towards an integrated model for rural development and food systems, in line with the “Agriculture 2030” vision.

For Albania, noted the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Anila Denaj, this is a clear evaluation of the progress achieved towards a sustainable, innovative agriculture linked to other strategic sectors.

“At the center of this transformation is agritourism, which has become a key strategic point connecting the sectors of agriculture, tourism, vocational education and finance”, stated Denaj.

Albania’s inclusion in the FAO global report is clear evidence of the vision and commitment of Albanian institutions to building an agriculture of the future, closely linked to the country’s nature, technology and human potential. /j.p/p.s./

Representing 22 national parliaments, including both those from the European Union (EU) and non-EU countries, participants at this regional meeting of parliamentarians on agrifood systems, the first of its kind ever held in Albania, have raised their voices for the transformation of rural agrifood systems to be more inclusive and more resilient.

The regional summit was hosted by the Speaker of the Parliament of Albania, Elisa Spiropali, FAO Regional Programme Leader for Europe and Central Asia, Raimund Jehle, as well as by Martin Chungong, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

In her opening speech of the event, the Speaker of the Parliament, Elisa Spiropali mentioned that the Parliament of Albania adopted many laws and legal amendments in the recent years, as well as supported and rectified international agreements between the government and its partners on mechanisms and resources to spur agricultural and rural development.

The two-day summit  featured plenary sessions and panel discussions on pressing issues of agrifood system transformation to allow participants from various countries to share their insights and diverse approaches on the status of agrifood systems and the role of legislative bodies, and more specifically on the role of the agrarian committees in addressing and responding to crises and challenges affecting food system transformation, and in the introduction of innovative approaches for enhanced sustainability.

The regional meeting allowed parliamentarians and other legislators to engage into discussions with their peers and share information and good practices regarding, among other points, parliamentary action and legislative measures to support agrifood systems transformation. They discussed the best ways to collaborate with other relevant stakeholders such as the civil society, private sector, and the international community for greater impact and inclusiveness, as well as to create an enabling legal environment for responsible investment in agrifood systems.

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Minister Denaj said that during the meeting, they discussed on the projects supported by FAO in Albania, including initiatives for digital agriculture, the empowerment of women in rural areas and the development of the value chain.

Denaj also drew attention to one of the latest FAO projects that is being implemented in the northeast of the country, in Tropoja.

“Through the project implemented by FAO in Tropoja, we intend to increase the production of chestnuts through the biological war against pests”, said Denaj.

According to her, the regional cooperation and the central support of the organization is essential to achieve the common goals for rural development providing food for all.

“Under the concept of “One health, one world”, we work to ensure the health of plants and animals to guarantee the health of people by providing safe food for everyone”, said Minister Denaj./p.s./

The project focuses on assisting farmers in earthquake-affected areas and extension service specialists access the financial resources they need to improve their businesses.

The participants’ positive feedback shows their commitment to in-depth knowhow about financial resources, and the need to raise awareness of all key stakeholders in the process through collaborative efforts.

The training included maintaining farm records, agribusiness registration processes, farm efficiency indicators, business plans, and more.

Senior FAO economists delivered open lectures for University students on “The state of green finance in the agri-food sector” and “Climate risks and their importance for central banks.”

Agriculture experts believe that empowering farming communities with financial literacy is essential for the long-term success and sustainable development of the agriculture sector.

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The Financial Literacy Development Initiative for the agriculture sector aims to empower farmers and government entities with the knowledge and skills to make informed financial decisions and foster sustainable agricultural practices.

With a particular focus on the regions affected by the 2019 earthquake, including Tirana, Durres, and Lezha, FAO in Albania have conducted last week two training sessions for agriculture extension specialists and small-scale farmers in Durrës and Lezha.

Topics covered in the training include farm records maintenance, agri-business registration processes, farm efficiency indicators, business plans, and more.

FAO senior economists recently delivered an open lecture to the AUT students on “State of Green Finance in Agri-food” and “Climate Risks and their Relevance for Central Banks”.

The agriculture experts believe that empowering farming communities with financial literacy is crucial for their long-term success and the sustainable development of the agriculture sector.

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Climate, plants and beekeeping practices affect the taste and texture of honey in different ways.

According to FAO, Albania ranks 39 out of 115 leading natural honey producing countries.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development classifies honey as one of the excellent products of Albanian agriculture.

A new law on beekeeping was drafted under the initiative of the Minister of Agriculture and the Beekeepers Association and it was unanimously approved in parliament.

The legislation formalizes and regulates production, transportation, packaging and processing of beekeeping products, aiming to further increase domestic honey production and exports.

Official data show that Albanian bee farmers have produced 5200 metric tons of honey last year, with production steadily increasing each year. The government of Albania is providing incentives and direct financial support to farmers through the National Agriculture Support Scheme, with the funding earmarked to beekeeping sector amounting to over 310 million lek in 2022.

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Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Frida Krifca made the statement at the reception organized by President of the Republic Bajram Begaj for the Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Agency Qu Dongyu.

Minister Krifca expressed optimism for a more intensive cooperation in the near future with FAO while she said that, “Even though it is a small country, we would like to see Albania more present in the ranks of FAO staff and experts -s”.

The minister published on social networks some photos from this meeting, as she wrote, “During a cordial and constructive conversation with President of the Republic of Albania Bajram Begaj and the Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Agency Qu Dongyu, there was expressed the commitment to an excellent cooperation between our institutions so that to advance the agenda of sustainable development of agriculture”.

“Our beloved rural Albania, blessed with wonderful land and high biodiversity, will be further supported by FAO for the expansion of markets and the growth of Albanian agricultural exports”, said Krifca.

“We have a history of land defragmentation since after 1990. It remains one of our biggest challenges, in improving national production and exports so that to reach the target of 1 billion USD of exports for 2030”, she said.

For his part, the Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Agency Qu Dongyu, expressed his willingness to strengthen cooperation with Albania in the field of agriculture.

“It was an honor to meet President of the Republic of Albania. I thanked him for his support and we look forward to further strengthening our cooperation to help achieve the transformation of agri-food systems”, he said. /j.p/p.s./

She expressed her satisfaction that one of the most important inter-governmental personalities of agriculture globally accepted the invitation, returning within a short time the visit that Minister Krifca made in Rome, keeping the promise to visit Albania.

The reason for the invitation, according to her, was to show that Albania has more and more ambitions to open up to the world and create bridges of interaction for new development opportunities in the sector that are in line with the objective of 1 billion USD of agricultural exports in the year 2030.

“In the context of increased cooperation, I asked the general director to enable an increase in the number of FAO experts coming from Albania or newly graduated Tirana University of Agriculture students who can be beneficiaries of the professional practice scholarships offered by FAO” , she said.

For his part, the director general of the FAO Qu Dongyu said that, “Albania is a Mediterranean country with a lot of biodiversity and production opportunities. Let’s cooperate for this”./p.s./

The annual event commemorates the founding in 1945 of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). A global ceremony at FAO’s headquarters in Rome featured messages from, among others, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Pope Francis and Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

This year’s edition takes place at a time when global food security is facing threats from multiple directions, with soaring food, energy and fertilizer prices adding to traditional drivers such as the climate crisis and long-standing conflicts.

““In the face of a looming global food crisis, we need to harness the power of solidarity and collective momentum to build a better future where everyone has regular access to enough nutritious food,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said in his address to the ceremony in Rome.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres noted that World Food Day 2022 was taking place “at a challenging moment for global food security” and urged stakeholders to act together in order to move “from despair to hope and action.”

“This year, more than ever, World Food Day should be a call to ramp up action to help small-scale farmers in rural areas, who supply food to their communities and countries – through crisis after crisis – despite inequality, vulnerability, and poverty,” said Alvaro Lario, President of the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Second edition of the World Food Forum focuses one common goal: to move the needle of food security to achieve a better food future for all, leaving no one behind.

“More should be done to assist small-scale farms, which produce more than a third of the world’s food but represent 80 percent of the world’s producers. They are one of the foundations of the world’s agrifood systems, yet they are too often trapped in cycles of poverty and food insecurity and excluded from opportunities in systems dominated by large producers and retailers. This requires transforming current agrifood systems to provide equal opportunities for all producers and helping smallholders gain access to new markets. Investments in training, incentives, science, data and innovation can go a long way in placing smallholders at the centre of this transformation and become active and equal agents of sustainable development.

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This roundtable puts the main pillars for the future of agriculture in the world, focusing on food security and stabilization of the global market.

Elected among 53 participating countries, Minister of Agriculture Frida Krifca chaired the session of this conference. In the speech she delivered on this occasion, the minister expressed the support of the Albanian state alongside Ukraine, which although an independent and European country, is under armed attack by the Russian Federation.

Referring to the current economic crises that the world is going through, with fluctuating markets and prices, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Frida Krifca said that Albania has taken the necessary measures to improve the situation.

Krifca stressed that the focus remains on the future, which aims to increase the resilience of the Albanian agricultural sector to withstand this shock and to continue production.

According to Krifca, the current orientation focuses on mitigating the challenge posed by the interruption of supplies from Ukraine in order to stabilize international food routes and ensure sustainable development for agriculture.

The minister called for the support of participating countries in keeping markets open, also seeking support for countries that are most exposed to food shortages and economies in greater need.

The meeting takes place at a time of protracted crises, as the region is facing challenges posed by COVID-19. Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine is affecting the production and trade of major agri-food products and is threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in Europe and Central Asia and beyond.

Participating countries will discuss issues affecting food security and agriculture globally, including rising global food prices, and share their approaches to transforming agri-food systems in Europe and Central Asia to ensure sustainable food chain./a.a/p.s./