USAID supports Young Agribusiness Entrepreneurs

LUSHNJE, March 29 – USAID launched its latest initiative aimed at helping young men and women living in rural areas to engage in the agribusiness sector.
RASTI, (the network of Agro-Entrepreneurial Youth for Markets and Innovation) kicked off last week with a launching ceremony held at the local Lushnja branch of the Faculty of Agribusiness and Economics, at the Agricultural Technology Transfer Center.
“The U.S. Mission in Albania, through USAID, is aggressively supporting the efforts of Albanian farmers, traders, processors and exporters to become more competitive, and gain market share in the domestic, regional and international markets,” said USAID’s Program Officer John Brannaman.
“Sadly, more and more young people are leaving rural Albania and looking for jobs in Tirana and in neighboring countries due to the erroneous notion that agriculture is a profession for the poor,” he explained. “This program helps prepare young people in rural communities to engage in agriculture as a business, and to do it in a professional way.”
RASTI is a joint effort of USAID/Albania, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection, the Faculty of Economics and Agribusiness of the Agriculture University of Tirana. The program will also partner with leading financial institutions in Albania like Opportunity Albania, Raiffeisen Bank, and ProCredit Bank that will help train young people, evaluate business plans developed by students, and assist young entrepreneurs in their business ventures.
This spring, the RASTI will begin working in the Shkodra and Korca regions.