$10M USAID Program to Improve Farmers’ Competitiveness
On October 5, 2007 USAID launched the new five-year, $10 million Albanian Agriculture Competitiveness (AAC) Program in Korca, where one of the program’s regional offices will be located. The program assists farmers in improving the productivity of their operations and their responsiveness to trade conditions and opportunities.
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| USAID Assistant Administrator Menarchik offered encouragement and practical advice to Albanian farmers at the kick-off event |
“With this program USAID will assist Albania’s agriculture, in particular farmers, to become more competitive in the global market over the next five years,” said Dr. Douglas Menarchik, USAID Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia, who was visiting several USAID programs in Albania early last month.
Merita Petushi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Consumer Protection, Artur Agolli, Head of Commune, and Menarchik officiated at the ceremony held in the private apple orchard of Mr. Rakip Musa, ten minutes outside Korca.
Petushi thanked USAID for its support to Albania’s agriculture sector which complements Albania’s National Strategy for Agricultural Development which is designed to improve the productivity and competitiveness of producers, traders, and agri-businesses.
In his remarks, Menarchik mentioned ways that farmers in Korca could benefit from USAID assistance, in particular with the adoption of environmentally-friendly methods of fighting pests or new post-harvest technologies, as well as fostering better market linkages with the domestic and international markets. “USAID recognizes the important contribution of the agricultural sector to the growth of the economy, the improvement of the quality of life, and the reduction of poverty in the rural areas across Albania,” he said.
Albania is still a rural country (57 percent) and is tremendously reliant on agriculture and agriculture-related industry. The sector produces almost 23 percent of Albania’s gross domestic product. To date, AAC is assisting farmers with four high-value commodities: fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, melons and olives.
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