Agriculture Production Support in Albania ; Improvement of Cheese and Milk Production

Albania

12/2003 - 12/2005

The project is conceived as a new approach to assist farmers of a typical country in transition phase such as Albania. It is designed to address the food chain at every stage from primary production through processing and marketing as this has been identified as a key constraint in the analysis of the main constraints to development of agriculture in the country. The project is intended to assist in the development of complete food chain models in the following categories: ( i ) milk and dairy ( ii ) fruits and vegetables ( iii ) wine and grape brandy and ( iv ) olive oil production. On a preliminary basis, the food chain models were applied in 19 units at commune level, regrouping farmers in associations in each of the four categories mentioned above. On the basis of preliminary surveys in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, 8 communes situated in the low western part of the country were selected for project implementation. The main activities of the project for each food category include: market research, feasibility studies, establishment of farmers organisations, provision of training for all participants and providing needed inputs and equipment for the first phase of production to marketing products.