The Management of the Forestry Potential, a Chance for Poverty Reduction in Albania

Abstract

Finding ways to reduce poverty is a priority of the governments of Albania and in close collaboration with international donors, a concerted effort is being made to focus on those areas that experience a high incidence of poverty, namely the remote rural areas. These areas  also coincide largely with the 50% of Albanian land area that is covered by forests and pastures and it is no coincidence that the government has, with the financial assistance of the World Bank and Governments of Italy and Switzerland, and with the technical Assistance of  FAO, implemented a comprehensive forestry project that among other objectives also has poverty reduction as one of its expected outcomes. The collaboration of the World Food Programme through its provision of food packages to the forestry workers has been the most direct benefit for the poor. The Albania Forestry Project has funded a range of activities to strengthen the overall forest and pasture administration, improve forest management practices, support the transfer of forests and pastures to the communes and to improve the management of Albania’s protected areas. These activities are still ongoing and after completion of the Forestry Project at the end of 2003, important progress towards better resource management and positive economic prospects for many communes will hopefully have been achieved.

Key-words: Poverty reduction, rural areas, forest project