CNVP Albania had the pleasure to hold a two-day study visit on 12th and 13th May 2022 in the Diber region. The meeting participated representatives of the Swedish Embassy in Tirana, Mr Johan Willert and Mrs Ermelinda Xhaja, vice minister of Tourism and Environment Mrs Almira Xhembulla and Pont representative Ms Mirjam de Koning. 

CNVP Albania is implementing Local Economic Development, a Sida funded project in six regions of Albania, and Diber is one of the regions. During this visit, the joint team had the opportunity to closely see the project interventions and meet with key stakeholders, listen to their needs and expectations to replicate the local /rural economic models, and improve the management of protected areas for better income generation and employment opportunities.
Besides beneficial meetings with representatives of Peshkopi municipality and the Regional Administration of Protected areas of Dibra, a field day was organised in Melan village as one of the pilot areas where LED project is being implemented. Farmer Gjezair Elezi and his wife Xhelabie have been supported to build a simple greenhouse to prepare and sell MAPs seedlings, mainly mallow, in the local area. High-quality seedlings are a critical input in the commercial cultivation of MAPs.

Local availability of MAPs seedlings creates market demand and easier market access for local farmers. The greenhouse will also be used to promote MAPs cultivation, farmers from Peshkopi will be exposed to the performance of high-quality seedlings of flowers that grow well in this area, as well as good agriculture practices for MAPs cultivation which will be shared through the organization of demonstration field days in the nursery.
PONT is exploring opportunities for replicating and upscaling successful practices and solutions applied in the Prespa-Ohrid region over the last years, expansion of the grant activities to the Korab-Korritkin-Albanian Alps areas in Albania and Sharri Mountain North Macedonia and it also plans to support local NGOs with a focus on NTFPs and the cultivation of MAPs and development of eco-tourism in these areas.