Rural women are being empowered economically through the sustainable cultivation and management of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs). This has involved the development of producer groups and value chains that has led to reduction in household poverty, increased social integration, and participation of rural women in the forestry sector.

CNVP Kosovo is working with producer groups (dominated by rural women and vulnerable groups) linked to the Associations of Private Forest Owners (APFOs) to increase and diversify incomes through the production of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), especially MAPs. 20 farmers, including Serbian and Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian (RAE) communities from Istog, have benefited from an agreement between CNVP, APFO and Agroproduct. Participants have been trained in planting, collecting, processing and marketing. Women’s products have been marketed successfully at local fairs, including product certification through the application of a strong quality control programme.

Support has been provided through the SIDA-funded project Strengthening Sustainable Private and Decentralized Forestry that is being implemented by CNVP Kosovo. The project involves strengthening sustainable forest management, developing wood bio-mass for renewable energy, and supporting the development of rural businesses and supply chains to improve rural incomes through better local and regional stakeholder cooperation.