There is a long tradition of harvesting and using medicinal plants in Albania. As their availability is of vital importance for rural communities, non-timber forest products (NTFPs) have been introduced to increase rural incomes.

Various parts of plants - roots, bark and leaf material - are collected, processed and consumed. Due to lack (or loss) of traditional knowledge, as well as growing demand from domestic and foreign markets, many medicinal plants are being unsustainably over-harvested and threatened.

On 23 May 2018, CNVP Albania cooperated with the Tirana Regional Federation for Forests to organise field training for a women’s group involved in the collection of medicinal plants in Nikel, Kruja Municipality. The training aimed to encourage rural communities to harvest sustainably so as to preserve the plants and the environment, as well as meet today’s needs without compromising those of future generations. The training introduced general rules and recommendations to promote sustainability e.g. when to harvest, what to harvest, fresh and diseased leaves, bark/root/leaf/fruit harvesting, post-harvest handling, equipment and storage.

The activity has been supported through the Sida-funded project Forests for Local Economic Development that is being implemented by CNVP Albania