The British Embassy has partnered with GIZ to support economic development interventions in the municipalities of Bulqizë, Dibër, and Kukës. Over the next 18 months, the project aims to identify at least four groups of farmers to work with, focusing on economic empowerment and sustainable community development.
Small-scale farmers account for nearly 85% of the agricultural sector in Albania. This situation is even more concentrated in the targeted areas (Kukës, Bulqizë, and Dibër), where farms are divided into 3-4 plots of 0.2 hectares each, located in challenging terrains. Women play a significant role in agriculture and rural development in Albania, comprising 40% of the agricultural workforce. However, they remain largely invisible and informal in most cases.
Men's roles in agriculture are associated with tasks such as controlling land and agricultural assets, tools, mobility, decision-making, and market access, while women’s roles are primarily linked to manual labor. Access to technical and financial resources, as well as information through agricultural extension services, remains limited. Small-scale farmers are rarely members of or represented in associations or formal groups.
The targeted areas of the project are characterized by a heavy reliance on agriculture as the main driver of local economic development, high unemployment levels, depopulation, and emigration, along with limited access to services. These areas also face a problematic natural environment, including difficult terrain, lack of transport, vulnerability to climate change, and the risk of natural disasters.

Key challenges include:

• Heavy reliance on agriculture as the primary driver of local economic development;
• High levels of informality;
• High unemployment rates among women;
• Risk of emigration and depopulation;
• High levels of poverty;
• Challenging natural environment and the impact of climate change;
• Limited presence of support agencies in value chains;
• Lack of agricultural extension services;
• Lack of access to markets; and more.

In response to these challenges and opportunities, the project aims to empower women and men for sustainable rural and economic development.

What Does This Intervention Include?

The candidates will receive continuous support in production, processing, and marketing processes, starting from planting to harvesting, followed by basic processing and marketing of the cultivated products. The program will provide a full cycle of training to equip participants with the necessary knowledge for cultivating and processing agri-food products, along with direct on-farm expertise during all stages of cultivation/production. Beneficiaries will also be supported with the necessary inputs for implementing environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices. Based on expert assessments, they may also receive modest equipment for cultivation, processing, and marketing of the products.

Expected Outcomes

• Entrepreneurial Skills Development: Beneficiaries will develop entrepreneurial skills in the production and marketing of local agri-food products.
• Support for New Groups: Newly formed groups will have the opportunity to receive support for their registration/formalization and/or modest financial support (basic equipment).
• Direct Contracts: Beneficiaries will be supported with personal and/or collective direct contracts with trading companies.
• Better Quality Products – Safer Markets – Higher Incomes!

"ValueNet: Expand and empower communities to jointly address development through a value chain approach" is implemented within the framework of GIZ/SRD, funded by the British Embassy.