Agrinas Albania Foundation

Agrinas - Albania is founded from the missionaries from AGRINAS - Netherlands in 1994. The vision of the Agrinas - Netherlands, since from the beginning of the work in Albania was to establish and start directly as an Albanian NGO that will continue on itself and be a support to all Albanian Community needs and be part in solving the communal problematic and see community transformation.

Albania was established with its Albanian Board of Directors and with its Executive Management Structure under the Albanian law of NGO and Non Profit Law.

Agrinas - Albania Foundation since in its formations in 1994 has been fully participating with the programs in Agricultural fields with focus in Fruits and Vegetable technical assistances. A side to these projects Agrinas - Albania was involved in Infrastructure Projects by improving irrigations channels, rural roads improvements and in the Extensions Service where a very good relationship with the Government Agricultural Institutions was established in cooperation with the Albanian Ministry of Agricultural and Food. All this projects had in focus reduction of the poverty and establishing new methods of agricultural managements by initiating farmer associations and making the community taking roles and responsibilities in decisions making.

A project with the High Professional School was being implemented as well for training purposes and forming the young generations with the skills and knowledge bases for agricultural. A part of the youth activities, extension service applied a lot of field demonstrations with the farmers that most of them were parents of schools students.

During the year of 1999 Agrinas Albania was mush involved in the Kosovo Crisis, where 4500 refugees were under treatments by homing them and taking health and food care on every day needs. This project was in cooperation with District Partner Organization and with the Municipality of Porgadec. During this phase Agrinas Albania Foundation was by the Dutch Ambassador who visited our projects and offices.

Until today Agrinas Albania Foundation is engaged in the following project: Since 1995 AAF started to implement the Agro and Rural development Program with following projects:

Seed Multiplication Project Mokra Regions ? 650 families (House\holds) benefited from the program in longer run. ? Each household could generate potato seed A Class and they could sell to others ? The household incomes are increased with more as 60% in cash. ? The seed sell turnovers were managed to create the ELIA association

Irrigation Systems Projects Mokra Regions ? 5 km irrigation channels are constructed and 6 villages could benefits irrigation for more as 1,150 Ha of land for more as 1,000 families benefited out of this project. ? Three artificial lakes are rehabilitated and their functionalities have been increased up to 65 % of the efficiency ? Three water user associations are established and are functioning delegated under the State Water Enterprise

Irrigation Systems Project Starova Commune ? 3.5 km irrigation channels (primary and secondary systems) are improved to facilitate up to 85 % of efficiency of irrigation lands of above 800 ha of fields lands ? Tow pump stations are rehabilitated serving the irrigations systems with full optimal capacities. ? More as 3,000 farmers benefited benefit from this irrigations systems ? 5 water user associations are established and delegated to operate under water state enterprises. ? 10 small overhead irrigation systems are established under household farm condition as pilot project for modeling different type of irrigations. These models are expanded with good efficiency to 20 more systems farm units by the local initiatives programs.

Education Projects ? 10 schools out of 50 are partially improved and rehabilitated for better running performance ? More as 120 Seminaries and trainings are completed for the lectors of the educations department ? Technical assistance with pedagogical equipment are supported to more as 20 schools ? 5 kindergarten out of 30 are equipped with materials for educations purposes ? 10 visits in international levels have been completed for exchange of experience

Agricultural Extension Service Program ? More as 150 trainings are completed with topics from the agricultural, livestock and economical bases ? More as 50 extensions specialists are trained to train farmers on field advancing ? 20 exchange of experience have been completed in similar structured in neighborhood countries, Italy, Greece and Holland. ? More as 35 trainings are completed in national level in strong cooperation with the Ministry of Agricultural and Food ? More as 50 trainings are completed in regional level with the Agricultural University of Korca ? More as 40 trainings are completed with the Regional Directorate of Korca Prefecture. ? More as 2,000 farmers have benefited directly and more as 6,000 have benefited indirectly. ? Technical equipment and materials for on farm research on technical manners have been supported for more as 30 agro extension centers.

Kosovo Crisis Management (year of 1999) ? More as 6000 Kosovars (War Refugees) were established with shelters, dress, food, health care, educations, and stress and trauma treatments on daily bases.

Main areas of investments have been the following projects:

Agricultural Program Fruit tree Cultivations ? 500 farmers benefited new fruit trees for up to 0.3 ha of land for each farmer. The trees were apple, and vineyards ? The farmers contributed 25 % of the finances coverage for this program and the other 75 % was supported by the program. ? Technical Assistance is delivered by the extension service in advisory bases and some materials are supported for running the technical methodologies efficiently.

Vegetables seeds Multiplications ? 100 small green houses are established for producing seedlings for vegetables ? 30 new vegetable seeds are tested and distributed among the farmers.

Fruit Tree Nursery ? Three fruit tree nursery was initiated by the program for rootstock multiplications. This nursery supported new seedling with acceptable price and in very good quality for the local farmers.

Exchange of Experiences, Visits International ? More as 60 visits are organized with farmers to see market places and the processors industries in the national levels. ? More as 15 visits are organized with farmers to see the marketing strategies organized by the farmers in neighborhood countries.

Natural Resource Program Forest Improvement by raring and thinning actual local forest ? 300 ha of forest is cleaned by raring and thinning old forest

Planting New Trees ? 100 ha of land is planned with new forest trees

Forest Tree Nursery ? Three forest nurseries are established for producing new seedling and saplings for planting later to local private forest. Each forest nursery is establishing with a capacity to produce more as 20.0000 seedlings in three years. ? These nurseries are established in farm household?s conditions for creating additional family incomes.

Erosion Measures and Control Stone Wall supportive against earth and small river movements ? 2 km of stone walls are completed in different segments in the most damaged areas to prevent further earth movements (erosion) ? 500 m of stone are completed aside to small rivers for preventing the damage of the lands nearby.

Building trees nearby irrigation channels downstream and upstream erosive lands. ? More as 20 ha of lands are built with trees in the most dangers places where the irrigations channels were most threatened.

Cleaning grazing fields from stones and opening more cultivated surfaces. ? More as 150 ha of land are maintained and improved for better grazing and those lands are cleaned from unnecessary stones for better grazing capabilities.

Livestock Program Small ruminants growth ? More as 60 trainings are completed for the treatments how to grow healthy ruminants.

Small ruminants multiplications ? 10 flocks have been created with each of 50 heads. ? Per each flock the program supported the male ruminant for race and genetically improvement.

Feeding, hygiene and sanitation ? More as 30 seminaries have been organized from the healthcare department and from the veterinary department for feeding and hygiene of the ruminants diseases transmitted to humans.

Infrastructure Programs Drinking Water Systems ? 4 villages are supported with technical assistance for 24 hour drinking water system ? 10 villages are supported with partial technical support for increasing the drinking water system up to 40% from the total not functioning system.

Rural Road Constructions ? 10 km of earth roads are constructing with asphalt layers ? More as 20 km of roads are improved with pressed gravel

Hospital & Health Clinics ? One local hospital is improved and constructed totally with 20 rooms. ? Three health clinics are reconstructed for emergency treatments ? Technical equipment?s are distributed and supported by the programs for each clinic.

Education Programs School Construction and Rehabilitations ? 10 schools are partially improved for the roof repairs. ? One schools is constructed from the beginning

Trainings and Seminars ? More as 50 trainings and seminars are organized for the local teachers to be informed with new methods and new pedagogical materials

Kindergarten rehabilitation ? 6 kindergartens are partially reconstructed and those have been equipped with education materials and toys for the children.

Rural Associations Formations Juridical Support for legal operations ? Formal document formations for 5 farmer associations are supported with final registration to the Tirana Court ? Formal documentation have been realized for the association to report the financial reports for the government requirements The following associations have been supported ? Rodokal Farmer Associations (Regional Level) ? Velcan Farm Associations (Regional Level) ? Stropcka Farm Associations (Regional Level) ? Bee Farmer Associations (Regional Level) ? ANSPA Associations (National Level)

Trainings and assistance ? 20 trainings are completed for NGO institutional strengthening and organization capacity building ? More as 10 meetings among the farmers have been assisted by the program for electing the association?s board and administration

Technical support with materials ? Office materials and support have been distributed for the all 5 new formed associations.

Exchange of experience ? 18 visits are completed among the farmer group associations and to the marketing centers in main cities of Albania ? 6 international visits are completed in three countries (Greece, Macedonia, and Holland)

Agro Extension Service State Extension Building Capacities ? 20 trainings are completed for the extension state specialists from the Dutch consultants

Exchange of Experience ? 5 international experience visits are completed in Holland with the private extension services and with farmer group associations ? 10 international experience visits are completed in Greece and Macedonia. ? 23 national visits are organized among extension groups in Albania and with small farmer groups.

On Farm Research ? 24 programs in on farm research have been completed fully supported by AAF. Different topics have been tested and exanimated on farm in cooperation with national research institute of the Ministry of Agricultural.

Program Based Support and Assistance ? Agrinas Albania Foundation did support financially the National Extension Service through Dutch Embassy and through the Ministry of Agricultural and Food of Albania. The AAF did support the program in regional level in the prefecture of Korca.

Extension Materials and Technical Support ? 5 Extension centers are equipped with materials like computers, motorcycles etc. for better supporting farmers in fields.

Local NGO Support Local Initiatives as Participative in Programs ? ASFOR Associations is supported with different small programs grants (5 in totals) to initiate the role of young groups in the program implementations of AAF. ? Flower associations are supported with different seeds form the Holland to grow new flowers and to support their family income. ? The association of agronomist is supported for their three conferences and 5 seminaries for the new alternatives in modern agricultural topics.

Studies and Researches RDA and Research ? RDA is completed and finalized with the Bank Research Study (RDA ? Regional Development Assessment 2013) for the agro, livestock and processor sector. The RDA Study is completed with PCA (Participatory Community Appraisal) research. All the three studies are completed and are finalized ready for preparing program proposals.

International & National Student Participative Research ? Agrinas Albania Foundation has encouraged students to complete their studies and dissertations within Agrinas programs and studies. Agrinas had the lead of their academic programs

Academics Supports ? Agrinas Albania Foundation has supported strongly the Agricultural High School and the Agricultural University of Korca. The supports have been with technical materials and with academic programs through other universities in EU.

Impact The programs have supported majorly the MOKRA regions 4 communes out of 9 which are in total in Pogradec District) More as 6,000 households have benefited directly from the Agro and Livestock program More as 10,000 households families have benefited indirectly from the Agro and Livestock program For the farmer who are having direct benefits the income is increased with more as 60% The farmers who did benefited indirectly the household income is increased with more as 40% More as 2,000 households do have access to clean drinking water with an performance up to 95% More as 3,500 household do have access to clean water with an performance up to 40% More as 700 students are being educated in good facilities More as 2,000 households do have better health care service with an performance for emergencies care and for pre-hospital treatment The irrigation channels are supporting more as 1,000 ha and the reservoir lakes are functioning up to 80% of their performance

All these projects have been implemented mostly in above Mokra areas (see the map at annex); Low field of Nizhavec and in some villages of Erseka Districts where 70% of the population are Muslim and the remaining are Christians. Agrinas Albania financed without making any selections since we do respect the joint and full participative community development. The staffs that have been involved have ranged as follows: ? 3 ? 10 staff have been in full time engagements ? 5 ? 15 staff have been in part time engagements ? More 30 specialists have been engaged in national level projects (Specialist from the Ministry of Agricultural, Academics, Presidential & Minister consultants and from the Fan Noli University ? Agricultural department.)

3.1 Partnership ? Agrinas Albania Foundation Projects

Key and important partners, stakeholder participating in Agrinas Albania Foundation Project. ? Ministry of Agricultural and Food ? Regional Directory of Agricultural and Food Security ? Regional Directory of Forest Management and Treatments ? Regional Directory of Health Care and Sanitations ? Fan Noli University in Korca Agro and Economic Department ? Raiffeisen Bank in Albania ? ProCredit Bank in Albania ? 7 Local Government Authorities of Pogradec District ? 12 Local Village Mayors ? Institute of health care treatment ? Institute for veterinary research ? Chamber of Commerce Regional of Korca (Pogradec District, Korca Dstrict, Erseka District and Devolly District) ? Individual traders ? Network platform of District NGO operating in Pogradec ? Member in Network of the European NGOs through TRIALOG Austria http://www.trialog.or.at/db/detail.asp?ID=78547304 ? PADOR ? EU Registration process with EC Authentication Service (ECAS) ? (Is in the finalization)

Agrinas Albania Foundation has finalized the Memorandum of Strategy & Actions (MSA) signed by the following Actors: - Agrinas Albania Foundation (with the position of moderation and leader in action) - 7 local authority leader of Pogradec - University Fan Noli ? Agricultural and Rural Economy Faculty - The Directory of Food and Agricultural - Rodokal Association - Stropcka Associations - Cerrava Associations - Bee Productions Association - Rural Tourism Association - ASFOR ? { Asistenca e Formimit Rinor { Youth Development Associations }

Agrinas Albania Foundation is involved in regional programs by supporting Agricultural and trading in Market Chain Values and arising up the awareness.

Agrinas Albania implements in regular bases Rapid Need Assessment with the beneficiaries, institutions, organizations and actors participating for realization of this evaluation. The Need Assessment brings Agrinas Albania and our partners to new visions and objectives, as actually aligned for, toward more action and toward a new future approach.

We cooperate with church base organizations and we partnership with Evangelical Alliance Ministry and with Youth With A Vision groups of young people!

Organization: Agrinas Albania Foundation is a small organization that has a long established legitimacy since 1994 around Pogradec District, in the region of Korça as well (District of Korça, District of Erseka and District of Devolli).

The 7 ´ (Sevens) of Agrinas Albanian Foundation (AAF)

Strategy: AAF performs a strategy to satisfy the community interest; leads, supports and facilitates all internal and external forces for the final successful end. AAF operates on a project / activity base approach and not on profit strategy. It means the main focus is to deliver proper services and to achieve the promised objectives (as they are set in Logical Frameworks together with the beneficiaries audiences). AAF strategy is based on a Cluster Approach. Cluster approach is aiming that a particular area as chosen for intervention is to be developed in many directions as Natural Resource Management Improvements, Infrastructural Improvements, Family Economical, Improvement, Educations Projects, Drinking Waters and Sanitations etc. The main aim is the family to increase its income and live better in the surrounding environmental (economical, urbanization and nature). AAF works toward the time table implementation for concise implementation and will work efficiently in the internal levels for group dynamic, for internal procedures and especially for making the Staff more active in the decision fields with the communities and with the Advisory Board. AAF coordinates to form good collaborations with all government actors and will act as stimulator for them to work properly among each other in community interests and for project realizations. AAF operates in setting up trainings and seminaries and making each project and program participant active and placing theories in practical actions by making project goals realized. AAF coordinates project operations and executions with the Coordination office as facilitation for the all process with the Government Bodies and structures, Education Institutions, other NGO and etc. AAF coordinates delegates and initiates other actors (Government and NGO) to take lead in curtain project and program actions where they are more specialized in particular implementation field. AAF acts in any humanitarian interventions for Natural Disasters, Food Crises, National Crises, Community Crisis, Human Disable Support, Strong Poverties and Food Support etc.

Structure: AAF has the Board of Directors, Advisor Board and the Executive Administration. Board of Directors is elite expertise in the curtain fields of the Sciences and Arts. They will be composed by persons that have high academic education and have more as 7 year in their field of academic experiences. By the AAF regulation they are the higher body of all decisions and approvals. All the members are with a mandate of 2 years. The Board of Directors is the holding, supporting and protection of the AAF core values, vision, mission statements and its identity. The Advisory Board is composed by beneficiary / stakeholders representatives. The will stay in and go out since long the project which they represent will have its duration. They are the body that supports the implementation in the field operations and make the strong link between the implementing NGO, donors with the beneficiaries. The Executive Administration is partially a legislative existence and secondary is a management body to execute all implementation of the projects to the beneficiaries, and starts all initiations among all valued actors toward the final success. The executive Administration will have its Leader (Executive Director). The Executive Director is the Official Representatives of the NGO in all third Bodies, including toward beneficiaries. All the management will be acting based on legislative agreements to the particular fields of operations and sectors that they (management segments of responsibilities) are going to cover.

Systems: AAF operates in a team work. It is a great experience of the AAF in team management. AAF has the monitoring systems, Financial Systems, Regulations and Procedures. AAF has undertaken international auditors and national auditors for the all program financial implementations. International auditors have been reporting based on the international standards for financial auditing and the national audit has been to satisfy the Albanian regulations for financial management.

AAF has operated based on official three month reports and monitoring systems where the progress can be measured and proper decision can be take. Every week and every month the executive management, operations and implementation field staff makes the proper coordination and comes with the necessary feedbacks of the progress implemented so far toward actions for the coming events.

Staff: Staffs of Agrinas are calibrate and qualified people who first are willing to work on volunteer bases! Our staff is qualified from management and law skill until to engineering works! We have high qualified staff with starting from normal education up to PhD.

Skills: AAF has a particular focus to increase the present staff skills by trainings. Agrinas staff is qualified in Project Cycle Management, Agricultural Engineering, Natural Resource Management, Education Programs, Infrastructural and Construction activities, sanitations and drinking waters, etc,. New skills are requested in the levels of law recognitions, communications, and human rights - Criminal Law, Civic Procedure Code and Rights, Democratizations etc. AAF engages and participate foreigner training expertise.

Style: AAF spirit is an open hand approach and communicative with all communities to whom AAF implements the program. AAF facilitates flexibility approach internally and externally, but being accurate in actions for succeeding the objectives. AAF hesitates to strengthen the Top - Down approach but stimulates a horizontal flex implementation structure where peers communications & implementation approach among actors and other institutions are facilitating highly by AAF.

Shared Values: Successes among the beneficiaries are added values for our continuation legitimacy in the future. AAF and with its actors are sharing same values in the correctness, punctuality, justice, economical progress, forming advantage competitors, real environment to work and live where we all can benefit in the near and far future. Most of the expecting achieved results are added and solid values that will pattern and it keeps further our legitimacy.

There is a lot to be done in Rural Areas in reducing the poverty, improving environment and providing instruments for more democratic civilizations, are the motives and inspirations that Agrinas Albania Foundation Staff believes to act upon. There are many families 35 % of rural areas (Word Bank Statistics) that have no chance to apply any input to the cropping production and environment protection. They are living with less than 50 USD per month per capita. There are no democratic instruments to represent their rights to the higher authorities or to provide other innovations for a change. Agrinas Albania Foundation believes that there is a lot to be done to bring changes to these communities.

Agrinas Albania Foundation has seen challenges and has learned how to deal with those by having a win - win situation. Albania community does inheritance a lot problematic issues where the roots are based on distrust. Therefore building relationship and trust formations among the communities are key factors that are guiding our approach of action.

Making examples and successful models among the communities and beneficiaries is a very good strategy that helps as a factor for further positive cooperation with majorities, which are the potentials for changes, and further to support the weakened families under a stewardship communal strategy, where the all beneficiary audiences are responsible to continue towards sustainability.