On 6 October 2021, the Swedish Minister for International Development and Cooperation, Mr. Per Olsson Fridh, the Swedish Ambassadors to Albania and Kosovo and their respective staff visited CNVP Albania (LED project) and CNVP Kosovo (SSPDF project) areas and partners.                         
SSPDF (Sida-funded) project is being implemented in Kosovo and aims at sustainable management of private and decentralized forests to secure products, income, and environmental services.
The discussions during this visit were held on the field in the project area and focused on challenges of the forestry sector with a strong emphasis on the environment, biodiversity protection as well as the sustainable green economy, and climate change. Women and Youth Producer Groups from municipalities of Shterpce, Podujeve, and Istog displayed their non-timber forest products such as honey, jam, juice fruits, and medicinal herbs produced at small scale level supported by the SSPDF project.

LED ( Sida funded) project is being implemented in 6 regions in Albania and aims at increasing the incomes of households in rural Albania by promoting improvements in the efficiency and inclusiveness of the MAPs market system. 
The farmers, mainly women, expressed their gratitude to the minister/delegation for the support Sweden has provided through the CNVP-LED project through supporting farmers to plant the most market demanded MAP varieties, secure better incomes and employment by facilitating Contract Farming agreements with businesses, and building awareness on good agriculture practices. 
They emphasized that Albania is renowned for its qualitative MAPs and the cultivation of MAPs should be upscaled as a very good way to reduce pressure on wild-grown MAPs in response to climate change and protection of the environment.                                                                                
The MAP company stated that due to the support from the project they can work with more farmers which allows them to meet the demands for the quantities as well as the qualitative MAPs in response to their end market demands. They have also strengthened their in-house capacities for extension service to farmers. 
The minister emphasized that he is proud to hear about the support Sweden has provided to farmers and especially women and said that this treasure natural treasure in Albania should be protected and managed sustainably in order for all actors to benefit from it.