Support schemes in agriculture are giving the first positive effects, with increased investment in the production infrastructure. Prime Minister Edi Rama visited today a livestock breeding farm in Shkodra. Avenir, a farmer who has benefited from the financial support schemes by the Agency of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that with this support he is increasing the capacity of his farm and as a result he has doubled the number of workers and involved in this process more and more people.

Director of AARD Suela Popa said that the agency has allocated to the region of Shkodra 1.5 billion ALL for supporting schemes, with a priority in the production infrastructure. “We are today in Shkodra to confirm that 1.5 billion ALL will be allocated not only for subsidies and medicinal plants, one of the competitive advantages of the area, but above all to create a modern infrastructure to bring agriculture and rural development in the country closer to EU parameters.”

According to the Prime Minister, this totally innovative approach to support employment through the development of the production chain is the key to the transformation from agriculture of survival to the agriculture that generates growth of the economy of households and of our national economy.

“The purpose of the support schemes is to support investments in production that create a closed cycle, from which we benefit not only employment within a micro or macro agricultural enterprise, but the entire cycle created by all those who are involved in the production chain. Therefore we are happy to support you, because this is a strategic investment for the whole area and will create a cycle that will involve many people in work. We should look at the production process not through fragmented land, but rather by uniting people in a production interest. So if 50 hectares have been fragmented in 5 acres, it is important for them who have these 5 acres and live here to be involved in this process, have their part in this enterprise, be contributors in the enterprise, but also have what they deserve for the work they do.”

According to the Prime Minister, increased technological capacity and infrastructure in the production cycle will involve thousands of families in this chain.