CNVP Albania organised a national, two-day event on the occasion of International Day of Rural Women on 20-21 October 2022 in Tirana. This day is dedicated to millions of women living in remote, rural places and celebrates the achievements and contributions of these women towards rural development and agriculture. CNVP Albania supports rural women to have access to high quality MAPs seeds and seedlings, to enter into Contract Farming agreements with MAP companies to cultivate MAPs, provide extension services, participate in fairs, learning and exchange events to highlight just a few. This two-day event was organised in the framework of Sida-funded LED project and it brought together about 40 project partners from Tirana, Shkoder, Diber, Berat, Gramsh, Skrapar Devoll and Kolonja representing Medicinal and Aromatic Plants companies, MAPs producers and municipalities.

The first day was dedicated to open discussions on the important role of women living in rural areas, challenges they face especially with the MAPs cultivation and wild harvesting , gender stereotypes and roles, unequal division of labour and unpaid work, lack of access to learning and training events, their role in the MAPs value chain etc. Of great importance was sharing the success stories from women in Shkoder and Berat who have been supported to expand the capacities of their nurseries by building MAPs demonstration garden and building a greenhouse to produce MAPs seedlings so that local farmers from these areas have access to high quality planting material. A simple fair displaying local products and MAPs from the regions was also organised during the day where the participants had the opportunity to taste local products and exchange information about the products and ways of producing them.

A field visit to the premises of MEIA company in Petrela, Tirana was held during the second day of the event. The participants had the opportunity to see the process that the company follows for producing laurel essential oil which they export to US markets. In addition, the participants visited lavender and laurel fields located near MEIA company and were informed about “Contract Farming” and extension services they provide to farmers.

Gender mainstreaming and Women Economic Empowerment are at the heart of all CNVP projects and interventions by integrating them with sustainable use of natural resources. LED project is contributing to long-term tangible benefits, particularly income increases, for poor and disadvantaged households in rural areas, especially women, involved in the production of MAPs.