Remarks by Prime Minister Edi Rama at the Agricultural University of Tirana students meeting to promote agriculture supporting schemes:

Thank you all to your attendance and readiness to become part of this process!

You are more or less informed in details because you have previously undergone training at the Agency for Agriculture and Rural Development (AZHBR) but even the minister highlighted certain key elements of this process thus I will make a summary of reasons why we are gathered here today. At the same time, let me also tell you that anyone willing to continue this path taken, through studies and earn more than merely a public official’s salary, this is the beginning of a new life with the village as unfortunately the idea of agriculture as a survival sector and that whoever makes efforts to thrive by working the land merely to satisfy the hunger, has prevailed for a long time and not mistakenly but because the approach towards the village has been as such.

It is so true that when I find myself visiting a village household and it is being broadcasted, even on that tiny window of my Facebook, the majority of comments say “you left them foodless.” That is to say that I went for lunch and they brought on the table everything supplied for the whole year, according to perceptions. Meanwhile the reality is entirely different and could be 100% different from the present. There are no poor farmers in Europe. The idea of whoever lives in the village, whoever ploughs the land and whoever produces food is on the edge of survival, is inexistent in Europe. On the contrary, it is a business like other businesses.

We are progressing towards it but we are still far behind due to a thousand and one reasons. On the other hand as much as it is a business it is knowledge. The more you know the more you can earn by working the land, by working in the village. This element is greatly problematic on our current reality. Even this is due to a thousand and one reasons. Hence, you should seriously take into account that what you have obtained in this university is a capital others do not posses and via which you could earn much more tomorrow than merely a public administration salary.

This meeting today is held to exploit your knowledge and passion on this sector in context of a difficult process to direct the money at disposal on agriculture and rural development in the hands of farms. You could say, where does the problem stand here you already have the money, hand it to them. However, it does not work like that. It would be enough to tell you that if we see how the European Union fund on agriculture support has been expended over the years, we will see that the largest absorbing capacity of European Union funds is by the most developed countries, not countries needing it the most. Countries in most need have a lesser absorbing capacity for a simple reason, because countries like France, Germany and so on, are not developed because they have more but because they know more. And exactly based on their greater knowledge they also have more, whereas, countries in need of more, receive less in the end, not because they are weak but because their knowledge is little.

This process is intended to increase knowledge capacity at this moment, so that we can tell farmers the funds are here come and get them. They cannot if they do not know how to benefit it as first of all they have to be informed. The way how our age-long state’s information structure is organised, does not work. Thus, I have been and still am impatient to see agriculture directorates merge and be replaced by real information structures close to farmers.

I believe you have heard the example I am about to take. There is a problem in Korce region, an over-production of potatoes but no market. Everyone eyes are at the government, as if it is the government that has to buy the potatoes. In a free market, where there is an open competition and where you cannot go after the idea of producing it once, then I will probably sell it. There are several reasons why those who have planted potatoes in that area should give up potato planting and should not think that potato is not sold because the state is unable to make its selling possible. But there are a plethora of reasons; it is a white potato that first of all, is less preferred than the yellow Kukes potato, secondly, it grows when the second potato of Divjaka comes out. So they are bound to keep the potato in stockpiles. So a game change is what to do. They have to quit potato cultivation and switch to arboriculture, to apples.

What does this imply? This means being informed, in the way that we have the capacity to convey the right information on what is best to do in that area to get support to as many households as possible and to as many farmers who live and work with the land. If potato is someone’s passion to the point of not selling it, but keeping it at home, let them plant potatoes. They are free to do it. If someone’s passion is to plant bananas in the Alps, let them do it, but they cannot ask for any financial support from us and cannot ask accountability on why the home-potato or the Alps’ bananas do not work. In this regard you are needed in order to add strengths and be at this stage before submitting applications to the entire territory where we intend to increase exports and redirect the clear message of what new schemes are, how they are supported and how to make an application.

There are two programmes. One is that of Albanian government which is simpler. The other is the European Union programme, more elaborate as you have to sit down and write a persuasive project proposal to table.  Otherwise it is not enough to say that we are people, help the people as we are left starving. This is the usual discourse. Money made available by the European Union need hard work and sweating to earn. You cannot benefit from because you are in need. It is not enough. Having the capacity to explain why you need it and why you will succeed in doing that makes you a winner. This latter requires knowledge. For this reason, you should consider it as a work front and profit ground to you. Instead of graduating with a master’s degree and stay in the café, waiting for a job as a public official, or join a political party to find work, look into this field of study that you might be specializing and become capable, that by supporting, assisting as farmers’ consultants, you get your own share of profit from the winning project.

This is the first moment of connection to the Agency for Agriculture and Rural Development (AZHBR). We want this relation to be permanent and ongoing and you become AZHBR associates network. As soon as you graduate, be the first candidates to become part of AZHBR either as specialists within or external co-operators in order to make this work today, your direct acquaintance to the farms, the people and areas, be succeeded later by your inclusion in assisting farmers on what you know better that is paperwork, how to write a project, what requirements does an application have and what are the phases followed to receive the fund. At the same time, by being there learn what they know better than you, the entire production process.

I am hopeful that whoever seizes this moment will open path to his or her career success and whoever is willing to work closely with us to move this process ahead will have much to do. We discussed with the university rector and professors to build an ongoing bridge thus do not think that it is you alone and no one else. Others will succeed next year so competitiveness will grow thus seize this day and be the first and do not let go. We need you as a knowledge network and you need the knowledge network as a profit opportunity in order to do a job you desired and earn more than the salary, more than the right or the possibility to have a state job and be isolated in paperwork in the computer all the time in office to then go out and cope with politics the rest of your time and then remain utterly still, a barren 40 years old.

You are trained on the scheme. You are informed how this job will work. Do remember that happiness is a big word, but ultimate happiness is to do the job you like and live by that job. This is a moment not achieved by everyone. You have the opportunity to reach it, do the job you like and live well by the job you like. Do not miss this opportunity. All together we will see how this process will develop, step by step. But initially we will visit these areas. The Minister of Agriculture, AZHBR director, the deputy minister and rectors will cope with your work while I am engaged on your entertainment part. I am responsible for the hospitality, accommodation, for the evening celebrations. Afterwards, from dawn, 05:00 am in the morning, to dusk you have to deal with them.

Thank you!