During November 2004 - November 2006, the AMPK Project helped MAFRD to develop a strategy for sustainable rural development. This led to the inclusion in the 2006 EAR Rural Development Programme of a project in support of local community development that has three main activities.

Activity 1: Institutional capacity building at local level

Activity 1 will provide technical assistance and training to help local communities prepare/implement agri-rural development strategies. It will support the formation of local partnerships involving municipalities, villages, RASS/other accredited extension advisers, MAFRD, donors, NGOs and other local level stakeholders and representatives of civil society. It will provide training for, and support the formation, functioning and management of cross-sector or commodity-specific Local Action Groups (LAGs) in rural villages in Kosovo’s municipalities. Such LAGs will ensure representation and that proposed interventions are demand-led, have the full support of local stakeholders and represent their interests. Activity 1 will help with all necessary human resource development, legal aspects, identification of co-financing and governance. It will provide all necessary training and support to ensure that all operational LAGs are networked in Kosovo and internationally. Activity 1 will also facilitate cross-border cooperation and regional development in municipalities that border Albania, FYROM, and Serbia/Montenegro. Activity 1 will disseminate details about project activities through the mass media and the internet.

Activity 2: Sustainable market linkages for rural households and economic operators

Activity 2 will provide technical assistance and training to improve human potential in the agri-rural sector through providing training that focuses on raising farm competitiveness towards best practice levels in Kosovo and regionally. Training courses to be delivered by Municipal Agricultural/Extension Officers will be targeted on new technologies of agricultural production, business economy, management, financial accounting, environmental awareness/protection, organic/eco-friendly farming, alternative/diversified businesses in rural areas, producers' cooperatives, market linkages, business development and information technology, as well as helping young farmers to establish themselves as new businesses. The technical assistance will assist Municipal Agriculture/Extension Officers to help farmers to restructure physical potential in the feed/forage production sector, (including improved land use/management of pastures and improvement of the meat and dairy production/processing sectors), in order to assist agricultural holdings and producers’ groups to improve the efficiency of their farm business and increase competitiveness at all points along the total food chain. Further, Activity 2 will assist diversification of the rural economy, in order to generate additional income and create new job opportunities in rural areas, by helping farm households and other operators to start up new small on- and off-farm businesses at community level, by encouraging (a) alternative farm and rural enterprises involving non-surplus products e.g. inland water fisheries, and (b) agro/eco/rural tourism that takes advantage of natural and cultural resources.

Activity 3: Support for natural resource management

Activity 3 will provide technical assistance and training to help local communities to use and manage agricultural and pasture resources on a sustainable basis, including alternative land use, as well as raise their awareness about the natural resources the local community has, serious threats to it, how to safeguard it as an economic and environmental resource, and, where appropriate, how to restore it, particularly in areas that suffer from a disadvantage or handicap, due to having a mountainous, remote or difficult cross-border location. Technical assistance will assist communities to decrease the negative impact of agriculture on the environment, restore traditional landscapes, increase biodiversity, and raise local environmental awareness about agro-forestry issues, (in line with increasing EU focus on these concerns).

“Diamonds” will be required to help implement these project activities. These will be young people who are committed to bringing about change in Kosovo, and managing that change efficiently.

If you think that you are one of these people, please contact Ross Bull at the AMPK Project.