(Apr. 6) – A closer collaboration between the Italian and Albanian farmers. This is the result of the visit paid by Giuseppe Politi, President of the Italian Farmers Confederation-CIA, to the province of Tirana, where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Vitrina. Accompanied in his mission by the head of the International Bureau of the CIA, Cristina Chirico, Politi has visited some farms around Tirana with olive production, wine and vegetable seedlings and trees. The visit took place at invitation of the SHBO – Organic Agriculture Association – and as part of the mandate received by the CIA President from the World Farmers’ Organisation. The visits to local farms highlighted the profound demands of economic growth in the sector. Small and family run agricultural enterprises feel the need for training and technical assistance, for the modernization of production techniques and production’s market orientation. The hope shared by Italy and Albania is to promote new partnerships to strengthen the capacity of local farmers to promote the presence of agricultural representative in the Albanian institutions and strengthen the marketing capacity of conventional and organic crops through the aggregation of the product. (Ram/Peg)
