Integrated Cross-Sectorial Plan of Tirana-Durres Area

RP4- Economic development of private
farms and cooperatives
Restructuring and modernization of farms
will be carried out first and foremost through
community awareness on “bio” products and
avoiding the treatment of products with nonorganic
methods. The somewhat primitive
methods of working processes in agriculture,
in the selection of seeds, cultivars and the
appropriate breeds should be replaced with
modern methods of work that will lead to more
accurate orientation and growth in markets
based on the diversification of agricultural
products.
An essential step in this development is
cooperation between private and public
structures: making local government
territorial spaces available for frequent
meetings among local farmers, trainers,
researchers, entrepreneurs, etc., with a
view to building a communication network,
thus creating the possibility of establishing a
climate of trust on partnerships.
RP4.1- Restructuring of agricultural farms
The restructuring of agricultural farms will
change the nature of the production operation
system at local level. The line ministry,
the Regional Development Agency and the
municipalities of the region should develop
structural policies based on land reform
(consolidation of agricultural land) and its
privatization.
Consolidation of agricultural land is the
process of uniting land plots to form larger
farms. The purpose of farm consolidation is to
better organize work and increase productivity
in the markets. The aim is to develop and
solidify the operational units that used to be
scattered, in order to work together with the
intention of forming larger areas with the
same character of agricultural development.
For farm consolidation it is suggested to:
• Encourage the interaction of family farms,
such as “bio” farms, to increase the likelihood
of certified “bio” products on a regional scale.
Establishing pilot projects based on the land
fund and consolidation schemes will stimulate
a broad participation of farmers in these
schemes. Legal and fiscal incentives should
be directed towards projects that support
the cooperation of small and medium-sized
stakeholders.
• Strengthen the interaction dynamics
of small farms through qualification and
training of young farmers to cooperate under
a product profiling. Unification according to
quality, product diversity and agricultural
standardization will increase the possibilities
for survival in the free competition.
• Restructuring should be simultaneously
targeted at the creation of collection and
storage farms, focused on the processing and
marketing of the product as a final “Brand”,
in order to specialize the work processes and
to ensure the desired quality. The introduction
and development of the region’s traditional
product brand would create the conditions
for an added value in product marketing on
international networks and would create a
stimulating spirit for “Slow-food” tourism.
RP4.2- Opportunities for cooperation – the
establishment of private cooperatives
The construction of private cooperatives will
boost agricultural production at macro level,
and will create new financing opportunities
for small and medium-sized farms to become
part of these schemes, creating a sustainable
economic system for major agricultural
activities.
The consolidation of agricultural farms and
cooperatives will serve as a basic instrument
to return marginalized lands into productive
lands, increase income in rural areas and open
new education branches for young people in
rural areas.
Encouraging cooperation among farmers will
affect the development of the rural community,
allowing the transfer of knowledge and
technology in rural areas.
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