Tirana wants the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization to have a presence on the ground in Albania, citing agricultural priorities
TIRANA, Oct. 21 – Albania’s new government is offering and asking to open the first FAO office in the country, as the country’s agriculture minister met with the highest officials at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
Albania’s Agriculture Minister Edmond Panariti made a visit to the FAO headquarters where he met with FAO Director General Jos顇raziano da Silva.
Panariti said that Albania has half of its population living in the rural area and agriculture produces 17-20 percent of the country’s GDP.
The minister spoke of thee efforts of the new Albanian government in supporting agriculture and confirmed its intention of opening the first FAO office in the country.
Panariti also invited Graziano da Silva to an official visit to Tirana to the opening celebration and asked for FAO’s support in two main areas: increasing crediting to banks for agriculture in order to improve Albania’s production and export capacity and enhancing policy insurance for agricultural commodities and products on a more solid and sustainable basis.
Da Silva said that FAO provides support in soil erosion and fertility issues, helps developing locally adapted crops and assists in capacity development of Agriculture Extension Services.
Along with other two UN Agencies, UNICEF and WHO, the organization also provided technical support for the implementation of the UN Joint Project on Reducing Malnutrition in Albania currently in the stage of closing after three years of operation.
