The signing of contracts for investors and businessmen who have benefited from schemes of financial support in agriculture and sheep-farming continued today in the city of Korça. Prime Minister Edi Rama accompanied by Deputy PM Niko Peleshi, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration Edmond Panariti, and Director of Agency for Agricultural and Rural Development Suela Popa, during a meeting held with farmers of Korça district encouraged them to focus on the implementation of as many projects as possible, as the right way to ensure financial support and success in this new path of interaction between farmers and the government.
“Today, the moment has arrived that we must take a very clear decision: either we chose to continue on the old path and let the state funds crumble and be distributed as pittance from party to a few hundred in order to guarantee a minimal survival, with no continuity, no new job, no real increase in production, no real export growth or we focus on examples of success to make them even more successful by increasing jobs, increasing production, enhancing value chain and ultimately, increasing exports. And, actually, we will do this!” – the Prime Minister said.
But, in order to go from agriculture of survival to agriculture that generates welfare, the Prime Minister continued, we must invest part of the money in knowledge.
“Our directorates of agriculture must be transformed in counseling offices in order to show farmers how to apply, not only to the Agency of Agricultural and Rural Development that now operates as an EU instrument, but also to other funds that will be coordinated through the Ministry and the AARD. But it is really important that you start thinking about investing in knowledge even a small part of your income.” – the Prime Minister said.
Besides mentioning the encouraging growth in just 300 days of the export of Albanian products, the Prime Minister said he was confident that thanks to a more accountable state and potential in agriculture, there are all odds that they will multiple.
“With just an initial change in these first 300 days, with just a greater attention and accountability that the state has today, within these 300 days we have had some very encouraging figures. 30% more export of agricultural products, and we have all the opportunities to multiply these export figures”.
Another very important aspect, according to the Prime Minister, is the regionalization of agricultural crops, which would strengthen the competitive advantages of each region.
“We will guide funding toward regionalization, to promote and support regionalization and to encourage and support farmers and each region to focus on those crops that are more appropriate for the region. In this way, we will get a map of agricultural production aligned not with the diktat from above, as it was in the past, but with the impositions of geography, of climate and the necessity to be competitive, “- the Prime Minister stated.
Investment support, orientation towards success and regionalization were considered by Minister Panariti as fundamental aspects of the new policy on agriculture.
“Our approach to supporting agriculture is entirely new. We are very pragmatic; we support the outcome, the production and the effort of materializing the product. This is the big difference in dealing with previous schemes and this is a big change that we will bring to agriculture. We will guide agricultural support schemes towards regionalization of agricultural production. Of course, every county has the so-called competitive and comparative advantages based on historical traditions, but also on climatic conditions and soil structure, “- Minister Panariti said.
Investment contracts were signed in the orchard of a businessman who has benefitted more income from his business from the investment in the village.
Suela Pola, Director of AARD, said that the new supporting schemes for 2014 convey exactly this message: Orientation towards investment in agriculture.
“All projects that are oriented towards the establishment of modern infrastructure will be promoted and financially supported by the Albanian government, but also from community funds. We are focused on the growth of infrastructure in agriculture”- Popa said.
The initiative to invest in agriculture was greeted also by Deputy PM Niko Peleshi who invited others to follow this example because, as he said, investment in agriculture is an investment with quick and safe return.
“I am doubly pleased to be here today. In fact, this region seems it is finally revealing its greater potential for development, which is the field of Korca, the second largest field in Albania. Like Kosta (the farmer), who after nearly 20 years discovered that the real deal is here in this field, I believe that many of you and many others will understand that investment in agriculture is an investment with rapid and safe return, especially in this area that has a great development potential” – Deputy PM said.
During his visit in Korca region, Prime Minister Rama visited some businesses in Libonik, all supported by the Albanian government. The Prime Minister stopped by a farm for cattle raising, with a capacity 600 liter of milk per day, another example of the success of a family enterprise in the area, which has applied to the AARD for financial support.
