From: Alice Elizabeth Taylor
Swedish Embassy Helps Albanian Medicinal and Aromatic Herb Farmers

A CNVP team,  funded by the Swedish government has been implementing a project to support the sustainable medicinal and aromatic plant industry in rural Albania.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped their work as they have responded by distributing protection masks, gloves, disinfectants, basic agricultural hand tools and services to farmers and businesses, all while respecting social distancing measures. 

🥦 Përhapja e COVID 19 ka ndërprë aktivitetin normal dhe izoluar më tej njerëzit që jetojnë veçanërisht në zonat rurale. …

Gepostet von Embassy of Sweden in Tirana am Dienstag, 21. April 2020

The Local  Economic Development project is supporting those growing plants used for dried products and essential oils. In 2019, 11.7 thousand tons of dry medicinal and aromatic plants and 34.3 tons of essential oils produced in Albania were exported abroad. This represents some 20% of the country’s total agriculture exports.

In a Facebook post, the Swedish Embassy in Tirana said:

The spread of COVID 19 has stopped normal activity and further isolated people who live especially in rural areas. “one day in spring is like a week in autumn”, says an Albanian farmer who worries about delays in spring technical work that should be carried out in their land.

The project has continued its important work under limited mobility imposed by Coronavirus and lockdown measures.