Agriculture, workforce, ICT
infrastructure
Basic agriculture indicators in Albania (World Bank WDI database)
Albania is an Eastern European country, and a candidate country waiting to
start membership negotiations with the EU. Its population is relatively young
and predominantly rural; nearly 40 per cent of people live in rural areas.
Agriculture remains one of the most important sectors of the Albanian economy,
contributing 18 per cent of GDP and some exports. However, production is mainly
characterized by very small family farms oriented towards subsistence. The
sector’s problems are mainly linked to rural exodus, the limited size of farms
and ownership of agricultural land, marketing of agricultural products,
irrigation and drainage, low levels of use of modern technologies, and weak
organization of farmers. In recent years, considerable numbers of tractors and
other agricultural machines have been imported. However, the level of
technology used is basic, and farmers remain in sore need of modern
machines/equipment for specialized processes.
In 2019, 69 per cent of the population aged 16 to74 was using the Internet;
and more than half of the households (57 per cent) had broadband Internet
access, with yearly increases of 10 to 15 per cent since 2017 (see Figure 2).
However, fixed broadband penetration remains at very low levels compared with
other countries in the region and within the EU. Furthermore, there is a huge gap
of fixed-line penetration between urban and rural areas. Mobile penetration is
higher than fixed, with Long-Term Evolution (LTE) covering over 85 per cent of
the population. According to the World Economic Forum Executive Opinion Survey,
the level of digital skills among the active population is 4.67 on a scale of
7. Albania ranks fifty-sixth for the Global Competitiveness Index indicator
“Future orientation of government” (with a value of 3.87 on a scale of 7).
Strategy, policy, legislation
The Government of Albania has identified digital connectivity and broadband
infrastructure as a key priority in strategic documents such as the National
Strategy for Development and Integration, the Digital Agenda Strategy Economic
Reform Programme 2019–2021 and the National Broadband Plan. The second
strategic priority of the Digital Agenda 2020, “Policy for the development of
electronic communications in all sectors (health, education, environment,
agriculture, tourism, culture, energy, transport, etc.)”, outlines the main
directions for developing advanced electronic communication infrastructure,
together with fast and super-fast broadband.
The cross-cutting strategy, Digital Agenda of Albania (2015–2020), aims to
increase efficiency in agriculture (among other sectors) through ICT systems.
This entails modernizing production by using ICTs to facilitate compliance,
bring the quality of products and services in line with EU directives, and
increase exports of agricultural, food and mineral products. Under Strategic Priority
1 of the objective "Minimization of digital differences between regions
and cities", the Digital Agenda also aims to establish concentrated or
regional digital platforms serving agriculture and tourism.
Albania is moderately well prepared when it comes to the information
society and audiovisual media. In the coming years, in order to monitor its
progress towards EU compliance and its alignment with the Digital Agenda for
the Western Balkans, the country needs to improve the collection of statistical
data on digital performance and digital competitiveness.
According to the IPA2 revised Indicative Strategy Paper for Albania
(2014–2020), well-functioning and dynamic digital agriculture-related
information systems (i.e. continuously updated digital land, farm and animal
registers) are to be achieved thanks to EU support.
Services, applications, knowledge sharing
The Government e-Gateway connects various government systems and enables
them to share information, and the National Spatial Data Information Geoportal
has been populated with data from several institutions. The Immovable Property
Registration II system (called ALBSREP) is in production nationwide and has
been integrated into the Government e-Gateway; it makes 51 services of the
Immovable Property Registration Office available online. Orthophoto maps
(2015–2016) have also been produced for the entire territory of Albania and
made available free of charge to government and municipal authorities.
According to the European Commission Albania 2019 Report, there has been no
progress related to the building of a system to identify land parcels, or LPIS.
The Integrated Administration and Control System has yet to be fully
implemented, but certain elements thereof – such as a farmer register and an
animal register – have been developed. There is no Farm Accountancy Data
Network in place, but preparatory work on setting one up has started, and most
of the data sources needed for its implementation are available. Under the
Economic Reform Programme 2019–2021, Albania will further strengthen the
process of cadastral, land and property registration, including clarification
of land ownership, with a special emphasis on defragmentation and consolidation
of agricultural land. The LPIS will serve as an efficient instrument for
implementing the policy for sustainable administration of agricultural land.
According to the most recent Sector Review of Agriculture Statistics, the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is still working on models of the
Integrated Administration and Control System and the LPIS. It is going to
register all farms and work with the Institute of Statistics to prepare a
questionnaire and a methodology. It plans to update the list of farms applying
for subsidies regularly, but the relevant system is still in the preparatory
stages.
The register of vineyards and olive trees has been completed with the
support of the EU-funded regional Community Assistance for Reconstruction
Development and Stabilisation (CARDS) project. In 2010, an administrative
livestock register was established. It consists of two registers: an individual
register of animals and an animal holding register. It is managed by the
veterinary service and covers all types of livestock (cattle, sheep, goats,
pigs, equine, poultry and bees). In Albania, the Annual Agriculture Survey
covers land use, crop production, livestock number and animal production,
supply balance sheets, agricultural labour input and expenditure statistics.
Prices on inputs are collected in quarterly surveys.
Recently, the Agriculture and Rural Development Agency opened the network
of "Agro Points" or “Farmer’s Windows” (AGROPIKA). This is a direct
service delivery unit that answers to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development and provides farmers with information for applications, access to
finance, extension support and other services. In total, 20 Agro Points have
been opened, reaching each territorial branch throughout the country. “Farmer’s
Windows” provide all farmers and interested parties with information about
applications for national support schemes and donors, access to finance and
extension support. In 2019, the Agency issued a call for National Schemes
applications, which are filed online at 20 Agro Points and 16 Regional
Agricultural Extension Agencies through the e-Albania platform, providing
farmers with quality, timely and cost-effective services. The FAO Regional
Office for Europe and Central Asia is to launch a new project component to
assist the preparation of the national e-agriculture strategy vision for
Albania in 2020, following the experience of previous activities in similar
themes in the country, for example the virtual extension communication network,
the farmer single window and the national e-agriculture review.
Ref: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regional-Presence/Europe/Documents/Events/2020/Series%20of%20Webinars/20-00244_Status_digital_Agriculture-revFAOV4.0-MASTER-FILE-20-JUNE_REVIEW-FAO_PL_print%20%28002%29.pdf