Funding the organic farms sector is being expanded thanks to the support from the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (ARDA), like it is the case of a success story in the area of Fishte, Lezha district, through the vision of Altin Prenga, the founder of “Mrizi i Zanave”, a popular slow food restaurant in Albania, many local farmers have come together consolidating their produce and revenues.

Prime Minister Edi Rama today held a meeting with a group of farmers, who benefit support the national agricultural support schemes for organic farms, in a bid to increase production, enhance competitive advantages, create the foundations of a modern and competitive agriculture. Under the support scheme, farmers are set to receive financing in the amount of 100.000 lek first year, 150. 000 lek in the second year and 200.000 lek for certified farms.

“These farmers are involved in grape growing and they are either in the first, second or third year of certification of their organic farms. This farm here is in its second year of certification,” said Frida Krifca, the Director of the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency, urging other farmers to join the initiative as a way to reduce costs and increase the quality of production, taking advantage of this ARDA support.

These investments will address the needs of the domestic market for locally grown high quality produce. “By developing ‘Mrizi i Zanave’ (restaurant), as Altin did with, the entire area will engage in a chain work, as this chain is the real problem. One farmer can work hard and produce a lot, but where he is going to send his produce? When you come together, with everyone doing his part in an entirely harmonized process, including the sort of seeds, the methods and joint sales, with everyone earning what he or she is entitled to earn and this process has more negotiating power. I see many who throw away and dump their products into the river. You will certainly dump products into the river if you refuse to come together, join your forces so that you can negotiate price and everything,” the Premier said, adding that anyone owning agricultural land, irrigation water, this climate and keeps claiming about work, he merely doesn’t want to work. It is as simple as that. Land in Albania is a treasure. It is enough to have patience and step by step to get up and of course then unite.”