ALBANIA PRIVATE FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Contract No. EPE-C-00-95-00127-00
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THIRD ANNUAL REPORT October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998
Submitted to: United States Agency for International Development
Submitted by: Chemonics International Inc.
October 1998 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acronyms 1
A. Introduction 3
B. Perspective on APFDP Year 342
C. Year 3 Progress 9
D. Intermediate Result 1: Improved Utilization of Forest and Pasture Resources on Private and Refused/Non-divided Lands 13
E. Intermediate Result 1.1: Reformed Policies Supportive of Forestry/Pasture Initiatives on Private and Refused/Non-divided Lands 14
F. Intermediate Result 1.2: Economically Viable and Ecologically Sustainable Land Use Practices Adopted by Individuals 15
G. Intermediate Result 2: Increased Decentralization and Sustainable Management of State Forests and Pastures 20
H. Intermediate Result 2.1: Enhanced Policy Environment for Transferring State Forests 21 I. Intermediate Result 2.2: Groundwork Laid for Sustainable Management of Transferred Komuna Forests and Pastures 22
J. Intermediate Result 3: Increased Public and Private Forestry Extension Capacity 25
K. Intermediate Result 3.1: Groundwork Laid for the Establishment of a Coherent and Dynamic Public Extension Organization 26
L. Intermediate Result 3.2: Increased Capacity of Public Organizations, NGOs and Private Suppliers to Provide Extension Services 27
M. Intermediate Result 4: Increase Number/Expanded Capacity of Enterprises Based on Non-timber Forest Products 29
N. Intermediate Result 4.1: Reformed Policies Supportive of Small-scale Forestry Related Business Initiatives 29
O. Intermediate Result 4.2: Improved Access to Market Information, Affordable Inputs and Credit 31
P. Intermediate Result 4.3: Improved Business Management and Technical Skills 33
ANNEX A APFDP YEAR 4 WORK PLAN 35 ANNEX B TRAINING: YEAR 2, 3 AND UPCOMING EVENTS FOR EVACUATION PERIOD 45 ACRONYMS
APBSSP Association of Genetical Improvement and Seed/Seedling Production ACBA Albanian Cattle and Breeders Association ALT Adult Learning Training APF World Bank-funded Albania Forestry project APFDP Albania Private Forestry Development Program AUT Agricultural University of Tirana BG Botanical Garden COP Chief of party DDA District Directorate of Agriculture DDFS District Directorate of Forest Service DFS District Forest Service DGFP Directorate General of Forests and Pastures ES Extension specialist FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FPRI Forest and Pastures Research Institute FTC Field technical coordinator FTCC Field technical coordinator counterpart GOA Government of Albania GTZ German Agency for Technical Cooperation HPI Heifer Project International IDT Interdisciplinary team IR Intermediate result INSTAT National Statistics Institute LS Livestock specialist PRA Participatory rural appraisal MLG Ministry of Local Government MOAF Ministry of Agriculture and Food MOE Ministry of Education MOU Memorandum of understanding NAC U.S. National Agroforestry Center NGO Nongovernmental organization NN Nursery Network NTFP Non-timber forest product PCV Peace Corps volunteers
1 PRA Participatory rural appraisal PS Policy specialist PSC Policy specialist counterpart REC Regional Environmental Center SARA Support for Agriculture Restructuring in Albania SBS Small business specialist SME Small and medium enterprise SO Strategic objective SRI Soil Research Institute SRS Small Ruminants Station STTA Short-term technical assistance TOR Terms of reference TOT Training-of-trainers VAT Value added tax
2 THIRD ANNUAL APFDP REPORT
A. Introduction
Four major events significantly impacted the Albania Private Forestry Development Program’s third year of operation. First, the timing and focus of some APFDP year 2 activities shifted to year 3 due to the political and economic upheaval that of the first half of 1997. Project progress lagged somewhat during year 2 and, although the APFDP Albanian staff held the program on course to the extent feasible, some activities were not possible because of civil disorder, resultant travel restrictions, and the evacuation of expatriate staff. Although the country stabilized somewhat when an opposition political coalition won the elections held June 29, 1997, the economic situation, coupled with lack of government control, led to accelerated deforestation during much of 1997 and into 1998.
Second, a mid-term evaluation of APFDP in October-November 1997 suggested substantially increasing APFDP involvement in developing small-scale enterprises in non-timber forest product- related activities, and turning its attention to field implementation. The Mid-term Evaluation Team also recommended that the program be extended for two additional “option” years. The team, contracted by Chemonics when travel restrictions were lifted in late 1997, found the program concept basically sound and judged that APFDP and the Government of Albania (GOA) had successfully addressed the major policy-oriented issues in private and decentralized forestry.
Third, in November-December 1997, Albania’s new government embarked on a comprehensive planning process, aimed at developing short-, medium- and long-term strategies. As part of this process in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (MOAF), the Directorate General of Forests and Pastures (DGFP) convened a Forest Sector Strategy Workshop on December 4-5 with support of APFDP and the World Bank-assisted Albania Forestry project (AFP). Participants from central government, District Forest Service (DFS) offices, the private sector and NGOs drafted lists of priorities for a future forest strategy in four key areas: private management of forests and pastures, local management of state-owned forest land transferred for komuna use, protection and management of forests by the state, and promotion of entrepreneurship in the forest sector. As a result of this workshop, the GOA requested APFDP assistance in drafting a forest strategy that would lead the MOAF/GFP into the 21st century. With APFDP assistance, a draft strategy was prepared in collaboration with several key GOA institutions, and is now being circulated for comment.
Finally, just as the situation in Albania was stabilizing, travel restrictions were relaxed somewhat, and APFDP was getting back on the fast track—including recruiting a long-term social forestry advisor to replace the field technical coordinator1—the U.S. Ambassador ordered another evacuation on August 14, 1998. This order was a result of Islamic terrorist threats to U.S. personnel working in Albania.
On learning of this evacuation, APFDP’s chief of party, then on home leave, came to Washington, D.C., in late August to begin developing an evacuation period work plan and provide for contingency management of APFDP, particularly in the event that the program be extended for the two option years. The extension was approved by USAID/W on September 24, 1998, and the chief of party immediately made plans to conduct a workshop with APFDP staff in Ohrid, Macedonia from
1 Choosing not to renew their contracts for personal reasons, APFDP’s long-term policy specialist, Linda Nielsen, departed on June 30, 1998, and the field technical coordinator, Erling Nielsen, departed on July 31, 1998, both before the evacuation order. To replace them, the mid-term evaluation recommended changing the long-term field technical coordinator position to a more “social forestry” rather than technical orientation.
3 September 28 through October 17, 1998.2 The workshop aimed to take care of outstanding project administrative issues; renew memoranda of understanding with relevant partner institutions; review progress in achieving Third Year Work Plan results; finetune the evacuation work plan; provide guidance and support to APFDP staff; and ascertain the feasibility and utility of establishing an APFDP “shadow” field office in Macedonia.
This report draws heavily on input from APFDP staff during the Ohrid Workshop and on numerous weekly, monthly, quarterly and other APFDP reports produced during the past year.
B. Perspective on APFDP Year 3
The political and economic upheaval of early 1997 continues to have serious consequences for the forestry and pasture sector. The desecration of forests continues, as do changes in the nature of ownership of land and livestock. Family and community resources for investing in silvo-pastoral improvements or business initiatives remain weak. The current evacuation status makes project management all the more difficult. Unavoidably, APFDP has had to accommodate these factors in its implementation. Yet despite these challenges, the program is more or less on track with Third Year Work Plan targets. While the absence of the chief of party, the proposed long-term social forestry advisor and certain proposed short-term consultants has delayed progress in certain areas (e.g., non- timber forest product business development, improved nut production, some policy reform areas and a more social forestry and integrated orientation), APFDP is nevertheless making significant progress. Most important perhaps, the GOA and APFDP together continue to develop a better understanding of and mechanisms to address the constraints facing the forestry sector. Detailed below are the factors that have affected the implementation of year 3 and will guide APFDP during the strategy design for year 4.
B1. Lessons Learned
B1a. Assume Government Uncertainty
During APFDP’s first three years, the changing governments appointed five different ministers for the MOAF, four different directors for the DGFP, and almost all new District Forest Service directors. Each new incumbent undertook his own reorganization, with a period of transition lasting up to six months (as long as the incumbency, in some cases). These periods of transition brought with them speculation and immobilization among government staff, waiting to see the outcome of the changes. As this report is being written, the new prime minister and present government are in the process of initiating a new round of organizational changes, which may or may not affect the agriculture and forestry sectors.
Added to the budgetary and resource limitations (especially in the forestry sector), this organizational uncertainty has severely limited the capability of government to manage forests and undertake new initiatives. APFDP staff have concluded that, until the government situation improves, technical assistance is most effectively rendered directly to those in the field who are ready to manage forests and pastures at the local level, either privately or communally.
In fact, private owners who have received their former forests and pastures, and villagers and local leaders interested in managing adjacent forest and pasture land have increasingly sought assistance; a number have contacted APFDP over the past year. Similarly, small-scale entrepreneurs are looking
2 Also attending the workshop were Alicia Grimes, APFDP’s contract technical officer, and Joe Pastic, general development officer, USAID/Albania.
4 more aggressively for technical guidance and business planning. APFDP has experienced good results in its support for professional associations such as private nursery operators, willow producers and processors, as well as for village livestock groups.
At the same time, MOAF and DGFP leaders envision increased decentralization and privatization, and APFDP will continue to provide support at the national policy level as required. But, this support will be directed where GOA interest is high and the chance of having an impact in the field is greatest. In particular, the new director general of DGFP has stressed the importance of expediting the transfer of state-owned forests for management at the local level. In response, APFDP has and will continue to undertake a series of regionally organized training sessions to better prepare DFS staff and local leaders to transfer forest and pasture land and develop appropriate management plans.
B1b. Field Activities Should Drive APFDP Policy Reform Initiatives
Tirana-based policies and legislation have little impact in the field. Due in major part to the “government uncertainty” discussed above, Albania’s rural (and urban) populations have little trust in national government. As a result, forestry-related policies and legislation formulated in Tirana—even those with participatory rural input—are either unknown, ignored or very loosely interpreted at the local level, a level of government where there is some trust. Moreover, government is unable to enforce the majority of the policies and legislation in the field or even provide incentives to encourage compliance.
Over the past years, APFDP has seen numerous examples of this lack of government policy impact. Land designation is a prime example. At the request of MOAF, APFDP had originally planned to help the GOA change its land designation policy during year 3, particularly involving refused lands. Currently, at least in theory, the policy and accompanying legislation makes it difficult for land owners to change the designation of land, from agriculture to forest use. In practice, however, when land owners are secure in their tenure—either customary or official—they do as they see fit with their land regardless of the current policy. Thus the current legislation was not really an impediment to increased private tree planting, but was another instance of GOA policy needing to catch up with reality in the field.
APFDP has also been “guilty” of loosely interpreting some laws when the end results benefit Albania’s rural populations. This is particularly true for Regulation 308, which governs the transfer of state forests to komunas. Regulation 308 calls for a very technical, top-down approach for the transfer process, beginning at the komuna level and eventually reaching down to the village. APFDP sought and received authorization from MOAF to use a pilot bottom-up approach beginning with the village as this is essentially the lowest unit of management and responsibility. With this license to practice, APFDP also loosely interpreted some other aspects of the law. For example, the responsibility of Village Forest Commission was undertaken by the Council of Elders; the management plan was not prepared by physical and legal persons, but through broad participation of villagers; and low-cost, simple, and more socially oriented management plans are used instead of the heavily technical and costly plans required by Regulation 308. Based on APFDP’s pilot effort, the GOA is now considering adapting this approach for all komuna forest transfers.
Finally, APFDP has seen many cases in which a small modification to a law has had significant impact in the field. For example, extending the deadline for ex-owners to get back their private forest and pasture land and removing a value added tax (VAT) on seedling production had beneficial effects. These two modifications were at the request of concerned parties in the field who asked APFDP to serve as a facilitator with the government.
5 In sum, there are two lessons learned here. First, during year 3 implementation, APFDP began to let field activities determine policy initiatives with considerable more success than when policy initiatives were initiated by APFDP or government. Second, as suggested by the mid-term evaluation, current GOA policies and legislation as well as a certain tolerance in the interpretation and implementation of this legislation provide a sufficient framework for APFDP to operate effectively in the field. These lessons learned will be incorporated into APFDP’s implementation strategy for years 4 and 5.
B2. Adjustments to the New Government’s Strategy and Policies
In July 1997, an opposition coalition government centered around the Socialist Party came into power. During year 3, coalition leaders expressed their commitment to continued privatization and decentralization and support for an open market economy. But with the exception of the komuna forest transfer process, this commitment was rarely translated into action in the forests and pastures sector. Issues such as private forests and pastures, leasehold forestry, private nurseries and plantations, changes of land designation, etc., were not addressed.
In the MOAF, a leader in the Agrarian Party took office in the summer of 1997, the third new minister in less than a year. Minister Xhuveli proposed a new organization for the ministry as well as new appointments to top positions, both affecting the DGFP and other key counterpart offices. The minister also prepared a “green strategy” for addressing problems and issues primarily in the agricultural sector, although there is a small section on forestry and natural resources.3 While key counterpart personnel have been appointed and are now fully in place and operational, the organizational structure within the Ministry and within DGFP have yet to be decided. Additionally, at the time of this report, there is no clarity on how the minister views the draft forest strategy, and how he intends to develop policies and legislation, and define organizational structure in the context of any eventual strategy.
DGFP’s new leadership is making a valiant effort to begin to address some of the major problems in the forestry sector, particularly with regard to illegal logging and komuna forest transfer, but the Directorate still does not possess the mandate, discretionary authority or resources to manage forests and pastures strategically and sustainably. As stated above, a new organizational structure is being proposed for DGFP, but it is unclear what form this structure will take or if it will respond to actual needs. This has curtailed progress in forest decentralization and privatization during APFDP’s year 3. Progress in developing a public forestry extension service was similarly affected. There are, however, signs that this situation is changing as will be discussed below.
3 The draft forestry strategy prepared with APFDP assistance draws on and will become a companion piece to the minister’s “green strategy,” but is intended to be a stand-alone document.
6 B3. APFDP Working Relationships with Counterparts
During year 3, APFDP worked hard on developing close relationships with all of its GOA partner organizations and their newly appointed personnel through meetings, workshops, training events and field trips, as well as through more formal memoranda of understanding with institutions such as the Soil Research Institute, the Forest and Pastures Research Institute (FPRI) and the Botanical Garden. The new appointees now know us and trust us. Although we occasionally have different opinions on priorities and approaches, the dialogue is always open and frank, and consensus is usually reached.
Empowering local government to administer natural resources remained a priority for year 3. The Ministry of Local Government (MLG) is a key partner for strengthening local government for the administration of forests and pastures at the komuna/community level and for resolution of land administration issues in general. To this end, a memorandum of understanding for sharing support for komuna-based forest technicians and forest guards was signed by APFDP and MLG. This model will be replicated in other komunas where the transfer process has been completed and can possibly lay the groundwork for a komuna-based forestry extension system capable of responding to the needs of the komuna and its communities.
Coordination and cooperation with the World Bank-assisted AFP became much closer during year 3 with the appointment of a new project management unit director. APFDP and AFP have collaborated on a number of issues ranging from refining policies and legislation on the komuna transfer process, to APFDP assistance in facilitating the AFP-funded seminar on developing a short-term strategy for the forestry sector held in December 1997. More recently in June 1998, AFP asked for APFDP assistance in conducting a participatory rural appraisal of Lura National Park with the view of turning the park over to the komuna for management. Currently, plans are underway for joint AFP-APFDP training sessions for district forestry and local government officials on the procedures for komuna forest transfer. These seminars will draw heavily on the Forest Transfer Manual developed with APFDP assistance.
B4. The APFDP Planning Process
Based on evaluation team recommendations and internal staff discussions, APFDP’s results framework was slightly modified to better reflect the major thrusts of program work, and to provide a more viable reference point for discussion with program stakeholders. This modification involved two minor changes. The first was the amalgamation of former IR 1 and 2 into a single IR 1. In the year 2 results framework, refused and non-divided land had been targeted separately because of the key policy activities attached to such land. During year 2, the MOAF, with APFDP assistance, finished its substantial revision of policies on refused land and submitted it to the Council of Ministers. Therefore, the bulk of APFDP policy objectives for refused and non-divided land was satisfied. As for field work, the technical forestry recommendations did not differ considerably for privately owned versus refused/non-divided land. Therefore, it was decided to combine former IR 1 and IR 2.
The second change was the addition of a “policy reform” intermediate result under IR 4, “increased number/expanded capacity of small-scale non-timber forest product enterprises.” APFDP believes that this intermediate result is critical to begin to address a number of policy issues currently hampering the development of the non-timber forest products business sector. In particular, long-term leasehold of state forest land for aromatic plant production and a reduction of the VAT on forest seedlings were two key policy areas worked on in year 3, both with significant potential to improve the small business environment and generate increased employment opportunities.
It should be noted that the shift in emphasis away from pure policy initiatives and toward field
7 implementation, as recommended by the mid-term evaluation, is not articulated in APFDP’s results. In terms of a results framework, appropriate policies continue to be an important sub IR for achieving the main IR 1, 2 and 4. During year 3, APFDP leaned more heavily on implementing the privatization and decentralization of forest management to determine the direction of future policy initiatives, and this shift in emphasis is reflected in the progress made toward achieving results as reported in Section C below.
B5. Relationship to USAID/Albania’s Strategic Objective
Toward the end of 1997, USAID/Albania considered adopting Strategic Objective (SO) 1.6, “increased environmental management capacity to promote sustained economic growth.” The growing concern over sustainable management of the natural resource base that provides livelihood for two- thirds of Albanians, as well as USAID’s plans to develop a watershed management project, spurred the introduction of the new strategic objective. During the first quarter of 1997, USAID and APFDP staff worked together to define the results framework for this new SO. The shift of APFDP to the new SO is consistent with a gradual metamorphosis of the project after its design in 1995 and its first two years of implementation; the new SO continues to focus on increasing incomes through private forestry initiatives, but also addresses sustainable and integrated management of forests and pastures on a broad basis, with more emphasis on decentralization since a vast majority of resources remain state- owned.
B6. Perspectives for the Future
In spite of the evacuation status, APFDP generally continues to operate normally in the field and is on track with Third Year Work Plan targets. As reflected in the combined evacuation and draft 4th year work plan (see Annex A), Chemonics’ strategy for the remainder of the evacuation period, however long that might be, is business as usual. While the absence of the chief of party, the proposed long-term social forestry advisor and certain proposed short-term consultants has delayed progress in some areas, Chemonics believes that these problems can be overcome during the evacuation by:
• Continued oversight by the chief of party from the United States via phone and email and through periodic visits (10 days every 4 to 6 weeks) to Macedonia to meet with APFDP and GOA staff individually and as a group.
• Using U.S. short-term consultants to hold training events for Albanian participants in Macedonia.
• Using of third-country, short-term consultants to address some of the key areas where we are not making as much progress as we would like. To this end, we will submit a separate source and origin approval letter projecting a general level of effort for specific third-country short-term assistance for the next quarter (Jan.-Mar. 1999), based on our 4th year work plan.
8 C. Year 3 Progress
Overall result: Increased private and decentralized management of Albania’s forest and pasture resources
APFDP continues to make progress in achieving its overall result. During year 3, APFDP helped transfer approximately 1,500 hectares of state forest to komunas for use. While the restitution of private forests has gone more slowly, APFDP has helped a number of ex-forest owners in the forest restitution process for a total of about 300 additional hectares under private management for year 3. More important perhaps, APFDP initiated a network of private forest owners whose first task was to make recommendations for simplifying the forest restitution law and suggest legislation for the management of private forests to be incorporated into the Forest Act. These recommendations are now with DGFP for review.
As previously stated, MOAF and DGFP leaders continued to verbally support increased decentralization and privatization initiatives in forests and pastures sector, but translating words into action has been problematic. However, the new director general of DGFP did stress the importance of expediting the transfer of state-owned forests for management at the local level. In response, APFDP, in collaboration with the AFP, will continue to undertake a series of regionally organized training sessions. The purpose of these workshops is to better prepare DFS staff as well as local leaders to transfer forest and pasture land, and to develop appropriate management plans. Training materials for these seminars draw heavily on the Forest Transfer Manual prepared by APFDP short-term technical assistance.
November 1997 witnessed the first time during APFDP’s stay in Albania that the government has seriously approached formulating medium- and long-term strategies for the agriculture and forestry sectors with the formal presentation of the MOAF’s green strategy. Drawing on the green strategy as well as the December 1997 Forest Strategy Workshop organized by DGFP and APFDP with World Bank funding, an expatriate short-term forest strategy development specialist assisted the GOA to implement strategic planning in the forest sector; this included hands-on training of a forest strategy working group by the specialist and the production of a draft forest strategy by the group. The strategy is currently being reviewed by a wider audience and is expected to be finalized and approved by the summer of 1999.
APFDP also continued its support for introduction of forest leasehold and for other high-level policy initiatives related to effective decentralization and privatization, and as mentioned above, reinforced its close collaboration with the AFP and other development partners.
Due to the legacy of natural resource management during 45 years of communism, Albania’s forests are still virtually all state-owned and -managed, with emphasis on maximizing production yields. Only now have decision makers begun to deal with up-to-date approaches concerning sustainable management, multipurpose use, watershed management, leasehold, and protection of biodiversity. APFDP’s European policy visit and its university-level course on economic analysis of natural resources introduced decision makers to expanded alternatives for strategic management.
The following activities affect all the intermediate results, and are therefore presented under the overall project result.
• Development of a national forest strategy. Ongoing. During APFDP meetings with MOAF and World Bank/AFP officials, two forest strategy meetings were planned, one for short-term issues
9 and the other for longer term concerns. APFDP was responsible for developing the workshop agenda, training facilitators from selected government offices to help support the small group discussions during the workshop, as well as for overall facilitation and “secretariat” support. APFDP, in collaboration with DGFP, also prepared the framework of objectives for the short-term forest strategy. The Forest Sector Strategy Workshop was held December 4-5 with 74 participants, including the Minister of Agriculture and Food, the Secretary of State for Local Government, senior officials from the MOAF and other Ministries, Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank officials, and NGO, private sector and farmer representatives. APFDP developed a summary of the workshop presentations, discussions and conclusions, with input from the DGFP and AFP.
Drawing on the results of the workshop, the Minister of Agriculture and Food requested APFDP assistance in providing a short-term consultant to guide development of forestry and pasture sector activities throughout the country and to ensure their optimal contribution to socioeconomic growth. APFDP’s consultant organized and trained a forest sector strategy working group, and the group a draft strategy was prepared by. The director general of the DGFP is currently circulating the draft for comment to some central institutions related to forestry, district forest services, NGOs, etc. Once comments are received, APFDP will facilitate a round table to discuss and finalize the strategy, which will then be sent to the GOA for final approval and statement.
• U.S. study visit on multiple use and sustainable development of natural resources. On hold. APFDP had proposed, through World Learning’s transit project—which organizes training and study visits abroad for USAID—sending a group of six to seven Albanians to the United States to learn up-to-date methods of natural resource management. The tour would be designed to support forest strategy formulation and other high-level policy issues related to APFDP’s main result. While the visit was tentatively scheduled for Spring or Summer 1998, it was postponed pending some indication of government stability particularly with regard to its staffing appointments. As key individuals who might participate in such a tour have been at their posts for several months now and appear to be assured of some longevity in their positions, APFDP has rescheduled the tour for January/February 1999.
• European policy visit and follow-up. Completed. In December 1997, APFDP sent four key Albanian decision makers on a policy study visit to Denmark, the Netherlands and Austria. The visit was intended to provide the participants with a firsthand understanding of how countries effectively decentralize control of natural resources and build management capacities of private individuals and local government. Although the GOA is committed to decentralization and private initiatives, the present generation of government administrators in Albania has not had enough opportunity to witness alternative ways of doing things. The most expeditious way to obtain a solid understanding of alternative approaches to decentralization and stimulation of local initiatives will be for key Albanian policy makers to visit countries with effective decentralization and privatization of forests and other rural resources, a resource base comparable to Albania’s, and similarities in technical education.
Following the study visit, two participants drafted a report on behalf of the group detailing key findings of interest to Albania. APFDP worked with participants to identify what concrete steps should be taken to apply the most important policy lessons learned. One of the key lessons learned by participants was that the Austrian Forest Act was very similar in nature to Albania’s Forest Act of 1923 and provided a better model for management of state, komuna and private forests than Albania’s current Forest Act. Discussions are now underway on how to modify or redraft the Forest Act to bring it more in line with reality and current needs.
10 • Gender baseline survey. Study completed/integration of findings ongoing. During November 1997 through January 1998, APFDP discussed with the USAID contracting officer’s technical representative (COTR) plans for undertaking a professional baseline survey in sample locations in Albania (keeping in mind possible travel restrictions), to enable the program to track changes in women’s role in the forestry/pastures sector and better integrate women into APFDP activities. The survey drew on the DeMeTra work done in year 2.
APFDP finalized the terms of reference for a gender specialist, and the Chemonics home office began recruiting a gender survey specialist in February 1998. Although the survey had been scheduled for the first quarter of year 3, none of the well-qualified specialists identified was available until later; therefore the consultancy was postponed until April 1998. The consultant arrived as scheduled and undertook to train a team composed of Agricultural University of Tirana (AUT) professors and APFDP staff to conduct the baseline survey. Based on the findings of the survey, a two-day training-of-trainers course was organized in June. Village leaders, NGOs, DGFP, and private entrepreneurs related to APFDP participated in the training-of-trainers.
A major recommendation of the consultancy was for APFDP to take more of a community development focus in the areas where it operates. To this end, during the latter part of year 3, APFDP worked closely with livestock groups of Blinisht komuna in Lezhe as it considered them to be a significant basis for community development. APFDP is now developing a gender integration plan that will incorporate the consultancy’s recommendations into the 4th Year Work Plan. This plan should be finalized by the end of November 1998.
• Course on economic analysis, part two. Completed. In response to the success of the November- December 1997 course on applied economic analysis, APFDP arranged with the economic analysis specialist who conducted the course to outline a follow-on course. Plans and a scope of work were agreed upon and the consultant arrived in Tirana in June 1998 and staged two courses. The first course was a repeat of the 1997 one, focusing largely on government and university specialists who could bring increased economic considerations into decision-making in natural resource management. The second course was a training-of-trainers for faculty at the AUT, to prepare them to mount applied economics courses in the future and assist in development of Albanian research programs on economic analysis. Arrangements were also made to translate the remaining chapters of the Gittinger book on analysis of agricultural projects, so that the entire text was available not only as primary support material for the courses, but for future AUT work as well.
• Environmental awareness campaign. Ongoing. Considering the success and impact of the “Our Forest...Our Future” awareness campaign of year 2, APFDP supported several other small campaigns organized by Nursery Network members and the Regional Environmental Center (REC) during year 3. All were conducted at the village/komuna level and focused on two major themes: (1) students and teachers participating in schoolyard plantings with forest and ornamental tree species; and (2) villagers, DFS staff, and komuna officials participating in planting on common lands. Some of these activities were broadcast on Albanian National TV. Based on this experience, an Awareness Campaign training model has been prepared, which will be used to conduct district- level awareness training initially with Lezha and Pogradec campaign teams in November 1998.
Based on five winning posters from “Our Forest...Our Future” campaign, APFDP published 3,500 posters with extension messages on forest protection, erosion control and forest importance. Out of the 3,500 posters produced, so far 2,300 have been delivered to villages, komunas, individuals, organizations related to APFDP activities, and all 36 District Forest offices in Albania.
APFDP also prepared the scope of work for short-term technical assistance to conduct a training-
11 of-trainers and support the implementation of a second national-level environmental awareness campaign. This activity was scheduled for the middle of September 1998, but was postponed due to the evacuation. APFDP is now exploring the option of conducting this training in Macedonia in early 1999.
• Support to training/workshops and round table. Ongoing. During year 3, APFDP organized a series of workshops and round tables on forest strategy development, private forest, forest transfer, willow production and processing, guidelines on groups/associations/networks, etc. the program also organized several training courses related to technical, financial and management issues concerning livestock, chestnut, willow, nurseries, extension, policy and gender. The target audience for these activities were individual farmers, farmers’ groups, NGOs, Nursery Network members, DFS staff, DGFP staff and komuna/village representatives.
A summary of these events is presented below, and complete details of all events are presented in Annex B. Additionally, APFDP presents quarterly reports to “TRANSIT” on all training activities.
Summary of in Country Training, Workshops and Round Tables
Number of Event Number Participants
Training courses 23 377
Workshops and round tables 7 196
U.S. and Regional
Regional study tours 3 18
World Forestry Congress, Turkey 1 3
12 D. Intermediate Result 1
Improved utilization of forest and pasture resources on private and refused/non-divided lands
Indicator(s): Sustainable yield and carrying capacity of forest and pasture resources on private and refused/non-divided lands
Measure(s): Percent increase
Target: Year 3: None (to be assessed in years 4 and 5)
Partners: GOA (MOAF/DGFP, SSLG), NGOs, private forest and pasture owners
Assumptions: Policies supportive of and clear implementation procedures in place for private initiatives: private land owners willing to invest in the long term development of their resources forgoing higher short-term gains available elsewhere; GOA continues to remain serious about and committed to privatization and/or decentralization of refused and non-divided agricultural lands
The Year 3 Work Plan combined the separate intermediate result for privately owned land and for refused/non-divided land into IR1, because farmers increasingly tend to treat the refused/non-divided lands as privately owned, often with village consensus that land should revert to its pre-1946 boundaries. In this sense, government policy has not “caught up” with reality. APFDP believes that farmers are at a point where they are ready to undertake agroforestry and other tree planting—and APFDP should therefore focus on policy measures or implementation guidelines that directly support restitution and optimal use of farmers’ land, balanced between agriculture, forestry and pasture approaches.
Activities contributing to the achievement of this result included:
• Preparations for local survey on key issues in land restitution. Canceled. APFDP had planned to undertake a survey on key issues in land restitution during year 3, in collaboration with MOAF officials. However, in preparing for this study and in discussions with ex-forest owners, it became clear that the issues in forest land restitution were quite clear and that a survey would be a waste of time and money. APFDP chose instead to use its time and resources to help establish a private forest owners network, and help the network make its restitution and other private forest concerns known to the GOA both formally and informally.
• Ongoing research on the status of restitution. Completed. A report on considerations on forest and pasture restitution to ex-owners in Albania was finalized and circulated to interested institutions and stakeholders in Albania. The report details the quantitative progress to date in numbers of hectares applied for and restituted, and also probes the features and problems of the restitution process to date.
• Interchange between current private owners. Ongoing. APFDP continued its contacts with private forest owners, and has also provided selected technical assistance on planning for the management of those forests. It is expected that a major activity will be the formation of a private forest owners network (See 1.2b).
13 E. Intermediate Result 1.1
Reformed policies supportive of forestry/pasture initiatives on private and refused/non-divided lands
Indicator(s): Reformed/new policies and/or implementation guidelines introduced/approved
Measure(s): Number enacted with APFDP input
Target: Year 3: No new policy initiatives, only refinement of existing policies and development of implementation guidelines
Partners: GOA (MOAF/DGFP, SSLG), private land owners
Assumptions: GOA will continue the process of land reform and restitution of private forests and pastures; Parliament will pass refused/non-divided lands legislation
Activities contributing to the achievement of this result include:
• Continued dialogue on procedures for private forest and pastures restitution. Ongoing. The restitution of private forest and pastures has gone slowly. The Forest Sector Strategy Workshop, as well as APFDP’s study on the restitution process, identified possible alternatives for policy reform and accelerated implementation. APFDP has continued to dialogue with the GOA on this issue. Additionally, by helping existing private forest and pasture owners to initiate a private forest/pasture owners network, APFDP hopes to become more actively engaged in the restitution process. The main issue, during the identification of problems, is that the deadline for presentation of documents for forest and pasture restitution closed in March 1997. APFDP in collaboration with DGFP has proposed an amendment for the Parliament to postpone the deadline until December 1999. While the proposal has been approved by the Council of Ministers, approval in Parliament has been delayed due to other more pressing matters.
• Formulation of procedures to enact refused/non-divided lands’ policy. Completed. Parliament has approved the changes on the Law 8047, according to the final draft law that was prepared in collaboration through APFDP and MOAF officials.
• Reform of policy on changes of land designation. Ongoing but reduced effort. APFDP had originally anticipated working with the GOA on changing its land designation policy during year 3, particularly in the context of refused lands. Currently, at least in theory, the policy and accompanying legislation make it difficult for land owners to change the designation of land, i.e., from agriculture use to forest use. In practice, however, when land owners are secure in their tenure—either traditionally or officially—they do as they see fit with their land regardless of the current policy. Thus APFDP concluded that the current legislation was not really an impediment to increased private tree planting but was another example of GOA policy needing to catch up with reality. APFDP will continue to work with the GOA on changing this policy during year 4, but at somewhat of a reduced effort.
14 F. Intermediate Result 1.2
Economically viable and ecologically sustainable land use practices adopted by individuals
Indicator(s): 1. Private land owners adopting improved practices on their forest, pasture and agricultural lands 2. Private land owners and/or komunas/groups adopting improved practices on refused or non- divided lands
Measure(s): Number
Target: Year 3: 15 private land owners using improved practices on private land; 7 private land owners and/or komunas/groups using improved practices on refused/non-divided land;
Partners: DGFP, AUT, FPRI, FI, private forest and pasture owners
Assumptions: GOA continues to remain serious about and committed to privatization and/or decentralization of refused and non-divided agricultural lands; investment returns/benefits for improved practices are competitive with returns available for alternative investments
During year 3, the collaboration of members of the livestock groups, Nursery Network, private forest owners, chestnut producers and of the Willow Producers and Processors proved to be beneficial in disseminating new technology and market information, as well as establishing a sense of professional identity among members. APFDP looks toward supporting ongoing groups and promoting increased collaboration in other areas for year 4. Activities contributing to the achievement of this result included:
• Establishment of village group of private owners of chestnut orchards. Ongoing. The chestnut plantations in Pogradec District are considered orchards and accordingly are eligible to be given back to the ex-owners. APFDP initially worked in the villages of Gështenjas and Stropska in collaboration with the DFS and the private extension agent to assist in the restitution process and identify farmers interested in chestnut improvement.
According to the needs assessment undertaken by APFDP in Gështenjas and Stropska villages, the main issue is technical assistance for the control of chestnut chancre. To respond to farmers needs, APFDP contacted the FPRI in April to determine whether FPRI could have more of a role in responding to farmers needs in the field. A fixed-price subcontract was subsequently signed with FPRI to: (1) train farmers in improved management and disease control of chestnut orchards in Pogradec District; (2) increase chestnut owners’ awareness and knowledge of the disease and introduce appropriate measures for its control; (3) provide knowledge and inventory data on the extent of disease; (4) apply mechanical and biological control methods; and (5) recommend the most appropriate methods for controlling chancre from a technical and financial perspective.
In May, FPRI completed the phytosanitary inventory and conducted a practical training session on disease control for interested farmers in Gështenjas village. Additionally, and in collaboration with chestnut owners, FPRI developed one biological control and one mechanical control demonstration plot of one hectare each in Gështenjas and Stropska. For the biological control plots, FPRI inoculated 20 chestnut trees, and another 20 trees were treated with an antagonist microorganism. Mechanical control (cutting/removal of diseased sprouts) was completed in July/August. Preliminary results for both methods are expected to be available in April/May 1999, when FPRI will prepare and distribute to chestnut owners a
15 series of technical notes and leaflets on chancre disease control and chestnut orchard improvement.
• Establishment of private forest and pasture owners’ network. Ongoing. Currently, the restitution of private forest and pastures is an ongoing activity throughout Albania. During the year, APFDP was approached by several ex-owners looking for help in the restitution process as well as by several actual owners looking for technical support in developing private forest management plans. Building on this interest, APFDP worked to identify additional private owners (placing a call for private forest owners in a newspaper and soliciting information from DGFP, the DFS and the private Nursery Network); assessed the need for training and for development of management plans for private forests and pastures; and considered the establishment of a private forest and pasture network.
In May APFDP organized a round table on private forest-related issues and necessary actions for their resolution. The meeting was attended by seven forest owners and representatives from DGFP and the association Ownership Upon Justice. Participants expressed their interest in undertaking further steps for consolidation in the private forestry sector and would consider establishing an association of forest owners. It was agreed that APFDP should develop extension material on the restitution process and discuss with DGFP ways to facilitate it. After this work has been completed, the forest owners will be invited to a second meeting to review progress made and develop ideas for further collaboration.
Based on the results of this round table, APFDP prepared a draft amendment for DGFP to extend the restitution date for one additional year, prepared a draft amendment to the Forest Act regarding private forest management, and undertook the study “consideration on the Management of Private Forest in Albania.” This study will be finalized early in year 4 and distributed for comments.
• Demonstration nursery and test plots at the botanical garden
R Demonstration nursery. Ongoing. The establishment of a demonstration nursery was essential for the demonstration of up-to-date nursery techniques for private nursery owners/operators. A proposal was developed, in collaboration with the Botanical Garden, for establishing a small nursery that will be used to introduce new species and demonstrate new nursery techniques and materials, particularly the use of containerized seedlings. The nursery will serve also as an important center for technology transfer, putting into practice information and technology that is needed for nursery operators.
A subcontract for this activity has been signed with the Botanical Garden, and the demonstration nursery was established. Different types of containers/trays have been purchased in Greece and, in collaboration with a small private plastic plant outside Tirana, three different types of plastic bags have been produced. The nursery trials will be evaluated from a technical and economics perspective in year 4 and the results will be widely circulated.
Additionally, a seed order has been placed for a number of new (to Albania) species and varieties to be used both on-farm and at the Botanical Garden. Seeds were sown at the nursery site with the objective of testing different species in different sizes of pots and with different types of growing media.
R Agroforestry test/demonstration plots. Ongoing. Developing a relevant agroforestry demonstration plot in the Botanical Garden has proved to be more difficult than first envisioned. The problem is to create a realistic environment that a farmer can relate to, in a setting where there are no other farm activities. As a consequence, the site in the Botanical Garden was
16 transformed into a protected site for testing different species and planting techniques. The test plots will most likely later become demonstration sites. This function also provides better linkages with APFDP’s on-farm demonstration plots which will continue to be emphasized.
A subcontract has been signed with the Botanical Garden to establish test plots on lower-cost planting technologies and species that have not previously been tested in Albania, but which have proven successful in other countries. The purpose of such plots is to demonstrate the feasibility of these new techniques or species in a protected and controlled environment. This activity started in February/March, initially with direct sowing of black locust and honey locust, the planting of poplar cuttings, and the introduction of several new multipurpose species with considerable on-farm potential. In one test plot, direct sowing of black locust and honey locust was done together with contour planting of vetiver.
These trials will also be evaluated from a technical and economic perspective in year 4 and the results will be widely circulated.
• Farm demonstration plots and trials. Ongoing. APFDP continues to believe that on-farm demonstration of various tree planting practices and species trials in different areas of Albania will increase the interest of farmers to integrate tree growing with other farm activities. Drawing on the assessment of year 3’s planting experience, support was given for the maintenance/expansion of existing demonstration plots and the creation of new farm demonstration plots (minimum 30 plots) and trials with other interested farmers. These activities were combined with extension activities such as technical leaflet distribution, field days and farmer-to-farmer local study visits.
In January and February, the private Nursery Network members identified and contracted with 80 farmers from five different districts (Shkodra, Lezha, Fieri, Berati and Vlora) interested in planting seedlings. In total, 40,000 seedlings of 15 different agroforestry species were planted in new plots, and 6,130 seedlings were replaced in the plots established last year.
New guidelines have also been issued for the establishment of demonstration plots, with the main changes being: (1) a reduction in the subsidy provided for seedlings; (2) a shift from providing a percentage of the seedling price to providing a fixed amount for each seedling planted; and (3) increased emphasis on new and innovative planting techniques. Both private and public extension agents have followed these new guidelines when proposing new planting sites.
An APFDP survey of last year’s plots found that farmers were very satisfied with plots established for erosion control, windbreaks and willow production. The survival rate varied from 13 to 100 percent, with an average around 65 percent. In view of the very dry weather conditions experienced during the last summer, the results are satisfactory.
17 The first evaluation of the 1998 demonstration plots and trials was carried out during April-May. The evaluation confirmed that the quantity of seedlings planted were in accordance with the 80 contracts signed in five different districts (Shkodra, Lezha, Fieri, Berat and Vlora). For the establishment of new demonstration plots and replacement of old farm demonstration plots, 45,660 seedlings of 15 different agroforestry species were planted.
• Soil conservation plot (vetiver experimental trial). Ongoing. In collaboration with the Soil Research Institute, APFDP prepared a proposal to develop a soil conservation test plot with vetiver grass. A vetiver experimental trial has been established on private land in Kallmet I Vogel village, Lezha District, based on a contract with the Soil Research Institute. This trial serves to measure the impact of vetiver grass on erosion control by comparing it with natural vegetation and cultivated crops, as well as to measure the grass adaptation to the given climatic and landscape conditions of Lezha. Initial experiment plot results are promising both in terms of the vetiver’s effect on erosion control and its adaptation. Additionally, the test plot will serve as a vetiver slip nursery during year 4 in order to extend the technology to other areas of Albania.
• Agroforestry handbook and trees for conservation booklet. Completed. The handbook has been finalized, published and distributed to the local NGOs, public and private extension agents, Nursery Network members, AUT, APFDP contractors, etc. It describes different agroforestry techniques and provides a brief description of the most useful and common agroforestry species for Albania.
After some difficulty in identifying a suitable publisher, the “Trees for Conservation” booklet was published and distributed in the 3rd quarter to local NGOs, public and private extension agents, Nursery Network members, AUT, etc.
• Extension visits. Ongoing. Routine APFDP farmer extension visits returned to normal in January 1998 with the easing of travel restrictions and after the mid-term evaluation and the 1st quarter’s Forestry Strategy Workshop. Additionally, two local study tours were organized, one in Lezhe in April and one in Fier in May. The tours, organized and partly paid for by the private nursery operators in those districts, were used as promotional tours for tree planting.
• Consolidation of existing livestock groups. Completed. Through visits, training and participation in monthly group meetings, the livestock specialist continued to strengthen the three active groups in the villages of Alarup, Trashan and Kallmet. Two group meetings were organized in Trashan for the group’s self-assessment and re-planning for the future. (A repayment mechanism was worked out so that members who slaughtered their animals during the civil unrest could still participate in the program.) In Alarup, the group members passed on kids to 36 other families in the village. The process of “passing on the gift” continued normally in Kallmet but there were some delays in Trashan given the need to address the problem noted above.
The short-term HPI consultant, fielded in October 1997 to support the livestock specialist in training groups and to develop techniques to better consolidate existing and future groups, provided some new ideas and encouraged APFDP to continue to experiment with ways to engage the groups. His report has been finalized and distributed, and based on his findings, it became clear that livestock group members were beginning to see their group as a vehicle for further development of their farm activities. They were starting to explore ways to improve the breed of their cows, the quality of forage and venues for buying fruit trees. To the extent these activities fall within the framework of the program, APFDP will support these efforts. In this context, a particular effort was made to draw the group in Troshan into the komuna forest transfer process.
18 • Local livestock study tours. Completed. Three study tours were developed and conducted, one for each of the three existing livestock groups. The tours lasted one day and covered management techniques for the specific animals with which each group works. A total of 38 persons, including 14 women, participated in the tours. A local study tour was arranged to Korca District for the livestock group in Alarup.
• Livestock purchase. Completed. APFDP continued its efforts during year 3 to obtain information on availability, suitability and price of improved breeds of sheep from the region. The Chios breed from northern Greece is particularly adapted to the mountainous areas of the Balkans and produces both more milk and meat than the local breeds in Albania. Thus, 20 rams of the Chios breed were selected in and purchased in Greece in April for later transportation to the livestock groups in Albania.
With considerable effort, APFDP succeeded in importing 20 rams of the Chios breed from northern Greece in May. Upon entry into Albania, the rams were taken to a quarantine site arranged by APFDP in conjunction with the Livestock Institute. After six weeks of quarantine, thesheep were distributed at new livestock groups in Shengjergji in Tirana District, Stropska in Pogradec District, and Fishta and Krajn in Lezhe District.
• Formation of new livestock groups. Completed. Four new groups were formed from February to April/May 1998, and all received the rams of improved breed imported from Greece. The four groups are located in Shengjergji in Tirana District, Stropska in Pogradec District, and Fishta and Krajn in Lezhe District. They will focus on improvement of sheep management and improvement of their herds.
• Livestock group training. Completed. The group in Alarup received training in springtime management of young goats in March. In June, July and August, Chios sheep management training was provided to the groups in Shengjergji, Stropska, Fishta and Krajn.
• Silvo-pastoral management study. Completed. A study was conducted in Shengjergj on the use of Summer and Winter pastures. The study showed past and present practices and assessed the socioeconomic impact livestock management has on the village. In March 1998 a round table was held for final discussion of the Shengjergji study. Participants were from Shengjergji, the Agricultural Department of Tirana District, DGFP, the Livestock Research Institute and APFDP.
• Artificial insemination of cows training. Completed. In May APFDP held discussions with the Livestock Research Institute about the possibility of offering a training course on artificial insemination of cows. Terms of reference for the training were agreed upon and a subcontract with the institute for the actual training was signed. In June six village veterinarians were trained, including one woman, under this activity.
As part of the training program, APFDP arranged for the purchase of six nitrogen containers and other materials for artificial insemination. These containers were given to the six village veterinarians with the stipulation that the cost of the container be reimbursed over a period of two years. Contracts to this effect were signed with each veterinarian. This program will be evaluated during year 4 and if found successful, may be expanded to other areas.
• Pasture improvement. Completed. During July-August 1998, HPI provided a short-term consultant on pasture improvement and assessment of training grazing needs. The report, finalized, translated into Albanian, and distributed to the different partners for comment, was very well received by the GOA and forms the basis of year 4 pasture activities. In particular, APFDP will
19 subcontract with the Forage Research Institute to develop some on-farm pasture demonstration sites in the areas where APFDP works.
G. Intermediate Result 2
Increased decentralization and sustainable management of state forests and pastures
Indicator(s): Locally managed state forests and pastures
Measure(s): Number
Target: Year 3: 3
Partners MOAF/DGFP, SSLG, komunas, villages
Assumptions: A general consensus on the desirability of local management of state forests and pastures must exist for this result to be achieved; the quality of state forest and pasture land put up for transfer is such that it is worthwhile for the komunas/villages/individuals to invest time and resources in improvements
During year 3, APFDP focused on working more closely with villagers, local government officials and DFS staff in the komuna forest transfer process. The program developed intense contacts with these individuals to increase villagers’ awareness of the advantages of forests transferred for their use and management. At the same time, private forest plots protected by some families in areas around the komuna forests and their resultant regeneration provided good examples of what can be done, and APFDP organized and conducted farmer-to-farmer visits.
Transfer activities in year 3 were not without their share of problems caused by diverse events and concepts. For example, some people did not trust the government, mainly after the civil disorder in March, and thought that it would take back the improved forest after four or five years. Farmers and village heads have also, during the year, been preoccupied with the damage to their fields as a result of winter floods, which delayed the transfer process in some cases. Also, there was a certain inertia among several district foresters because of the fear of losing their jobs once the transfer was completed.
The uncertainty on forest transfer is exemplified by the Kallmeti village, which did not accept the process, stating that the forest would be better managed by the state. However, progress in other villages was achieved step by step; Troshani wanted the transfer, but decided to manage the forest in common by all families. Three other villages in the komuna (Fishta, Krajn and Kodhel) decided to manage the forest partly in common, and partly divided through neighborhoods and families, as has traditionally been the preferred method of management. To date the transfer process has been completed for one komuna (Blinisht) composed of four villages for about 1,500 ha of forest now under komuna/village control. Most important, during the transfer process in Lezhe, APFDP helped build a local team at the DFS capable of undertaking the transfers process in other komunas with minimal assistance from APFDP.
Finally, APFDP has begun making inroads with the GOA in changing the way the actual transfer is conducted. According to Regulation 308, the transfer process is very much top-down, which means beginning with the komuna and reaching down to the village. Instead, APFDP has used a bottom up approach beginning with the village as this is essentially the lowest unit of management and responsibility. Some aspects of the regulation have been interpreted loosely; for example, the responsibility of Village Forest Commission was undertaken by Council of Elders, and the management plan was not prepared by physical and legal persons but through broad participation of villagers. Low-cost, simple, and more socially oriented management plans are used instead of the
20 heavily technical and costly plans required by Regulation 308.
Based on lessons learned from the transfer process in Lezhe and its looser interpretation of Regulation 308, APFDP, with expatriate short-term technical assistance and in collaboration with AFP, prepared a Komuna Forest Transfer Manual. The manual was reviewed and accepted by the GOA and will now be used as the basis for providing guidance and training to other districts on the transfer process as well as for an eventual modification of Regulation 308.
Finally, the new director general of DGFP stressed the need for accelerating the transfer process and has made an effort to increase the interest in this activity among the foresters at the district level. More important perhaps, the new prime minister declared to Parliament that about 40 percent of the forest area will be transferred to komunas for their use. Based on this declaration, the director general of DGFP intends to forward a draft decision to the Council of Ministers for accelerating the transfer process. Through a recent decision of government, DGFP will be restructured by the end of 1998 and a specialist will be placed in charge of komuna forest and pasture transfer, within DGFP’s Forest Management Section. APFDP hopes that this will be the precursor to the establishment of a separate Section of Komuna Forest and Pastures, which would be DGFP’s first public forestry extension service. APFDP will continue the dialogue with the DGFP and the MOAF during year 4 with the hopes of establishing and training the section by December 1999.
H. Intermediate Result 2.1
Enhanced policy environment for transferring state forests
Indicator(s): Reformed/new policies and/or implementation guidelines introduced/approved
Measure(s): Number enacted with APFDP input
Target: Year 3: No new policy initiatives, only refinement of existing policies and development of implementation guidelines; consensus on management plans
Partners: MOAF/DGFP, SSLG, AFP, AUT
Partners: Consensus can be reached (and responsibilities assigned and undertaken) for implementation of pilot activity; development of simple management plans; pilot activity will generate sufficient info to modify/simplify the existing legal framework for national replication; public property laws reformed to enable komunas to own and administer natural resources
The main activities planned and implemented for year 3 included:
• Meeting on lessons learned from the planning process. Completed. Based on community mobilization undertaken during January-February, an internal round table, presentation and discussion were organized by APFDP and the short-term community organization specialist. Lessons learned during the development of the local-level community planning and management activities were analyzed and the major issues emerging in the forest transfer process were discussed and marked for the DGFP for further attention.
• Workshop on lessons learned on komuna forest transfer. Postponed. The workshop was postponed pending the completion of the transfer for all villages of Blinisht komuna. As this process is now complete, two regional transfer training workshops are planned for November in collaboration with the AFP. The experience of both APFDP and AFP will be presented to representatives of new komunas involved in the transfer process and to related forestry staff. Also, implications for future directions in policy, technical approaches and operating procedures will be discussed. APFDP’s Komuna Forest Transfer Manual will form the basis for this training.
21 • Proposals for improving Regulation 308 regarding komuna forest transfer. Ongoing. During the transfer process it became clear that Regulation 308 requires some elaboration or, in some cases, modification. Some ideas and issues for its improvement have already been discussed within APFDP and with AFP and other stakeholders, but the final proposals will be made after the above workshops, and more than likely after one more round table on the subject with key partners. The director general of the DGFP has requested that APFDP and AFP prepare a draft decision on Regulation 308 for the government during the 2nd quarter of 1999.
• Ongoing input on public property administration draft law. Completed. The draft law has been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office. APFDP is standing by to provide further input, should that be required.
• World forestry congress. Completed. The APFDP chief of party, policy specialist and counterpart, and field technical coordinator and counterpart attended the World Forestry Congress held in Turkey October 13-22. The two counterparts submitted a voluntary paper to Congress on APFDP’s experience with transfer of state forest to komunas for village management. The participation yielded many useful contacts for APFDP. A report on the Congress has been prepared and distributed to Albanian stakeholders.
I. Intermediate Result 2.2
Groundwork laid for sustainable management of transferred komuna forests and pastures
Indicator(s): 1. Broad participation in management plan development 2. Locally accepted management plans developed and implemented
Measure(s): 1. Number and types of individuals participating 2. Number of management plans
Target: Year 3: Three management plans for transferred forests
Partners: MOAF/DGFP, SSLG, AUT, komunas, villages, private groups
Assumptions: Komunas, villages or private groups interested in sustainable management and not simply short-term gains; DGFP willing to accept simple management plans based more on social criteria than technical criteria
22 Activities that have contributed to the achievement of this result are as follows:
• Village and komuna meetings. During the process of transfer of forest management rights, diverse komuna and village meetings were held on an almost weekly basis in the villages of Troshan, Fishta, Krajn and Kodheli (Blinisht komuna) and Kallmet I Vogel (Kallmeti komuna). Participants included komuna leaders, village elders and villagers as well as representatives from the Lezha DFS. The aim of the meetings was to increase villagers’ awareness on the importance of komuna/village forest and to outline and, in some cases, follow up on the successive steps of the forest transfer process. The changing roles and responsibilities arising from the forest transfer to komunas/villages and possible forest management schemes were also discussed. The program distributed leaflets on village forests and posters on the importance of forests throughout the villages.
A seminar on the planning process was held at Lezha on February, with participants from DFS, Blinisht and Kallmet and Troshan and Kallmet I Vogel. Presentations were made by APFDP and DFS staff and the head of the Troshan Village Council of Elders. Findings and recommendations from the seminar were distributed to participants and interested institutions. Another meeting was organized with DFS specialists from Lezha, explaining social aspects of a forest management plan under the new conditions of transition to the market economy.
• Forests transferred/management plans prepared. Completed. During year 3, the transfer process was completed for one komuna composed of four villages; Troshan, Fishta, Krajni and Kodheli. Several activities accompanied the development of management plans as outlined below:
R Designation of village boundaries and village maps preparation. Village and forest boundaries were identified on the ground by joint commissions for the four villages and approved by the Komuna Council and by the District Council. These boundaries were drawn on maps for each village together with present land uses.
R Division of forest areas through neighborhoods, clans and families. Except for Troshani, which decided to keep its forest area in common use, the other villages (Fishta, Krajni and Kodheli) decided that a part of the forest should be used in common, while the other is to be divided through neighborhoods, clans or families, as traditionally has been done.
R Management plan preparation. Separate village forest management plans were prepared for Troshani, Fishta, Krajni and Kodheli by the Management Plan Preparation Teams (MPPTs). The teams, one for each village, were composed of a forester and a DFS topographer, a komuna forester, a specialist from the komuna, the head of village elders, and two villagers. MPPTs were trained by APFDP for three to four days with emphasis on the social/participatory aspects rather technical ones. The current stock of forest and pasture resources, how the resources are used (and by whom), the present system for administering the resources, and what system should be used for forest and pasture land in the future were also covered. Diverse data were collected in conjunction with the training, using participatory rural appraisal methods. Some of the MPPTs meetings were attended by villagers, and the management plans were discussed and approved by the village elders, Blinisht Komuna Council and the DFS Directorate.
R Development of transfer documents. Following the local approval of the management plans, a set of transfer documents was prepared. Agreements between DFS and Blinisht komuna were drawn up defining the roles and responsibilities for both parties; this document formally transfers the management rights to the komuna/villages. The agreement for the Troshan village forest and contracts between komuna and village as a user were the first signed (May 1998).
23 The agreements for Fishta, Krajni and Kodheli were signed in October 1998. After these approvals, APFDP ensured that the forest areas were registered by the DFS cadastre and the Lezha District Registration Office. Each forest user will receive a certificate for the forest area in use from the Registration Office.
• Ongoing support to and monitoring of the villages. Ongoing. All four of the above villages have received APFDP extension support and guidance on the implementation of their management plans. Special meetings have been organized with women and children, who are the main users of the forest. HPI livestock groups have also been called upon to assist in management plan implementation. APFDP support will continue into years 4 and 5, and will focus on integrating other APFDP (and other donor) activities (e.g., private forestry, pasture improvement, herb production, willow production, etc.) in these villages by taking a more community development approach.
• Komuna forester and village guard. Ongoing. Regulation 308 stipulates that the komuna provide a forester and forest guards once the transfer process is completed. However, the komunas and their parent ministry, the Ministry of Local Government, do not have the resources to provide these personnel, at least in the short term. However, APFDP discussions with MLG suggest that these funds could be provided in fiscal year 1999-2000. Based on this information, APFDP and MLG drafted a memorandum of understanding whereby APFDP and MLG will share the cost of fielding komuna foresters and guards according to a formula in which MLG assumes all costs of these personnel by January 1, 2000.
• Preparation of transfer manual. Completed. Based on the experience gained through the transfer of pilot villages, a Komuna Forest Transfer Manual (as described above) was developed with expatriate short-term technical assistance. This manual describes the process in very practical terms and will serve as a reference manual for DFS officials, local government officials, management teams and others who embark on the process of komuna forest transfer. The manual was well received by the GOA, and DGFP and AFP have requested over 100 copies to distribute to DFS officials and komunas.
• Support to other komunas. Ongoing. Two other komunas in Lezha District (Kashnjet and Zejmen) are interested in having forest management rights transferred to them and asked APFDP for support. These komunas are of particular interest to APFDP as they contain fairly large areas of intact, non-degraded mixed hardwood forest of considerable value. Preliminary meetings with representatives of these komunas and DFS forestry staff have taken place, explaining the importance of the forest transfer as well as the procedures involved. Copies of legal provisions which allow the transfer, posters and leaflets have also been distributed to participants. APFDP plans to directly support at least one of the komunas during year 4, depending on DGFP’s transfer schedule.
• Preparation of posters and leaflets. A leaflet was developed to explain the komuna forest transfer process to villagers, in case of common use of the forest area. Posters and leaflets are currently being prepared to present various options for forest management and management plan implementation.
• Establishment of demonstration plots. Delayed. Demonstration plots have not been established yet, as a result of the amount of work involved in transferring by families and the need to expedite the transfer process. This activity has been rescheduled for early in year 4.
• Local study visits. Ongoing. As stated above, APFDP arranged several local farmer-to-farmer
24 visits in Lezhe to demonstrate the value of simply protecting a forest from over-cutting and overgrazing.
Additionally, AFP organized for APFDP a local study visit to one of the komunas in Elbasan District working with the World Bank project. The visit focused on the transfer process, the management and institutional issues as experienced by AFP.
• Pilot “public works” watershed management activities. Postponed. APFDP’s previous COTR was supporting the design of a watershed management project for USAID/Albania during year 3. The COTR has discussed with APFDP staff the possibility of undertaking preliminary public works types of soil conservation/watershed management activities in komunas where APFDP is working in order to gain insight and experience before the new project begins. However, given the evacuation status, that the USDA/Forest Service watershed assessment cannot begin, and that APFDP now has a new COTR, the chief of party decided to postpone this activity pending additional discussions on collaborations with the new COTR and the Forest Service representative.
J. Intermediate Result 3
Increased public and private forestry extension capacity
Indicator(s): Public, private and NGO extension contacts
Measure(s): Number/percent increase
Target: Year 2: 200 extension contacts
Partners: MOAF/DGFP, private suppliers, networks, NGOs
Assumptions: GOA can be convinced to accord forestry extension a higher priority
The development of a private forestry extension service based on private nursery owners/operators has taken off. In addition, collaboration with other private sector extension efforts such as herb production and processing and with NGOs is increasing. However, the development of any public forestry extension capacity has been slow.
Based on APFDP experience to date and recent developments in the forestry sector (e.g., rampant illegal logging), APFDP has prepared a concept paper on public forestry extension and has circulated it to various GOA institutions for comment. Drawing on the recommendations from the mid-term evaluation, APFDP has also continued the dialogue with GOA/DGFP to: (1) present the importance of a public forestry extension service, and (2) to find an appropriate place for such an extension service within the MOAF. As will be discussed below, there are signs that progress is being made.
25 K. Intermediate Result 3.1
Groundwork laid for the establishment of a coherent and dynamic public extension organization
Indicator(s): Public Forestry Extension Plan
Measure(s): Consensus on and approval of plan
Target: Year 3: Consensus on and approval of plan achieved by the end of year 3
Partners: MOAF/DGFP, SSLG, World Bank, GTZ
Assumptions: MOAF willing to develop a clear strategy for the development of a public forestry extension system
As a result of the GOA’s recent push to expedite the komuna transfer process, and an increasingly recognized need for some form of extension service to address komuna transfer problems (both the transfer process and management plan aspects), a consensus on the need to establish some form of public extension service at both the national and district level has finally been reached by DGFP, AFP and APFDP. The current plan is to base the field extension program on DFS foresters and komuna foresters (MLG) currently involved in the transfer process, and to initially assign a transfer specialist to the DGFP’s Management Section in Tirana to work with these foresters. A separate Komuna Forest Extension Section in DGFP and the DFS officials is expected to be established by the end of the year.
APFDP has laid the groundwork for the field extension component through the forest transfer process in Lezha District. APFDP supported the participation of a DFS engineer in a 12-day training session on participatory rural appraisal, which helped him to better understand the social implications of the forest transfer process. APFDP support to the DFS and komuna foresters in the form of on-the-job training during transfer process, along with the participatory rural appraisals conducted with people in the villages, has created a real foundation for a public forestry extension service in Lezha District.
Other activities that have contributed to the achievement of this result are as follows:
• Extension training. Postponed. The terms of reference for a consultancy on a forestry extension training-of-trainers and development of a forestry extension manual have been prepared. However, this activity is on hold pending the “official” creation of the Komuna Forestry Extension Section within DGFP, and removal of the current evacuation order. In the meantime, APFDP has prepared a set of extension training materials including how to conduct a participatory rural appraisal and how to develop an extension plan, as well as information on adult learning, communications, the facilitator’s role, etc. to be used for DGFP staff training courses once the extension organizational structure and staffing have been approved by the Minister of Agriculture and Food.
• Extension materials. Ongoing. During year 3, APFDP prepared and published a series of extension materials responding to both individual and organizational needs. The content and layout of these materials has been significantly improved as a result of staff coordination and cooperation with other institutions. During the year, a series of about 4,000 leaflets posters andpamphlets on herb and medicinal plants, komuna transfer, demonstration plot concepts, livestock, forest, ornamental and fruit trees nurseries and small business activities have been
26 distributed to individual farmers, livestock groups, DFS offices, Agriculture offices, research institutes, NGOs, DGFP, etc.
A Nursery Calendar for 1998 was also prepared and distributed to more than 30 interested people as a baseline for their annual nursery activities. A booklet, “How to Collect, Handle and Store Forest Seeds,” as adapted to Albanian conditions, was prepared, translated and distributed to Nursery Network members and DGFP. One thousand copies of the “Herb and Medicinal Plants Handbook,” 800 copies of “Conservation Trees” and 600 copies of the “Agroforestry Manual” have been distributed to farmers, herb dealers, Nursery Network members, DGFP/DFS, FPRI, several NGOs, and villages and komunas where APFDP operates.
• Agriculture fair participation. Completed. APFDP supported various activities and established a booth at the Agriculture Fair held in Tirana in November 1997. Included in the booth were the activities of the Nursery Network/private seedling production and a honey producer. More than 600 leaflets covering various aspects of APFDP’s activities were distributed at the fair.
L. Intermediate Result 3.2
Increased capacity of public organizations, NGOs and private suppliers to provide extension services
Indicator(s): Public, supplier and NGO extension contacts
Measure(s): Number
Target: Year 3: 200 extension contacts
Partners: MOAF/DGFP, NGOs, private suppliers
Assumptions: NGOs take more of an interest in developing a rural presence; market incentives are such that private suppliers are willing to provide extension services
Activities that have contributed to the achievement of this result are as follows:
• Support to the Regional Environmental Center (REC) and other NGOs. Ongoing. APFDP signed a sub-contract with REC in January 1998 to provide support to and identify viable forestry-related projects from NGOs operating in Albania. These proposals would be funded separately by APFDP using a subcontract format with each NGO. As a result of this effort, APFDP supported nine projects addressing forestry and environmental issues proposed by different NGOs operating in different areas of Albania. With costs of proposal not exceeding $2000, the list of the projects supported is as follows:
NGO Project Title
Protection and Preservation of Natural Private initiative on the tradition for soil protection from Environment - Tirana erosion
Besa Scout, Skrapar Skrapari Forests
Kadmi & Harmonia, Pogradec Who Thinks for Our Chestnut Forest?
Forest Progress - Kukes Birch forest protection
Transboundary Nature - Korçe Protection of Pinus Heldreichi and Pinus Peuce
Ecological Club, Elbasan The importance of silvo-pastoral management for the forest protection
27 NGO Project Title
Protection and Preservation of Natural Regeneration of forest belts in the Korça plain Environment - Korçe
Ecological Club, Lezhe Public awareness campaign: “Stop Cutting Trees!”
Tourism & Environment - Pogradec The protected forest gives beauty to our lake
The results of these projects were presented at a workshop held in Tirana at the end of September 1998. APFDP participants in the workshop found the NGOs activities very satisfactory, target- oriented, cost-effective and suitable for further cooperation in other fields, particularly in komuna forest transfer. A complete report on the activity was prepared by REC and will serve as the basis for an additional subcontract with REC for year 4.
Work with Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania has continued, and an environmental education program for eighth grade students from four schools was finalized. A meeting with biology teachers and school headmasters from the four pilot schools was held on December 22, 1997, to discuss the program and ensure integration and coordination with the schools’ regular curricula. Unfortunately, staff changes at the Ministry of Education and Tirana Directorate of Education have created difficulties in program implementation. Nevertheless, APFDP will continue the dialogue with above partners.
• Private extension agents. Ongoing. As with APFDP, Nursery Network activities became more field-oriented during year 3. The Nursery Network annual work plan included specific field-based deliverables and measurable results expected from the work of network members. As a result, the network has made a significant contribution to tree planting activities throughout Albania and has served as a liaison between APFDP and private forest owners, chestnut owners, and willow producers and processors. During 1998 it was officially registered with the GOA as an independent association. A major sign of success of APFDP work with the Nursery Network is that network members now contribute funds to the association on a monthly basis to be used by members for forestry-related development purposes. The network has also opened an association bank account.
APFDP-assisted implementation of the 1998 training plan for the Nursery Network is based on a self-conducted training needs assessment, and courses were subsequently designed to help members update their technical, financial, management and communication skills.
Also during the last quarter of year 3, APFDP initiated a collaborative extension program with Albducros (a private herb/medicinal plant company with headquarters in France). A memorandum of understanding has been developed with Albducross for demonstration plot development, the importation of seed, and a training plan. Implementation of the memorandum will begin during the first quarter of year 4. Additionally, APFDP collaborated with Albducros to prepare leaflets on six different herb and medicinal plant species. The leaflets are given to private collectors for distribution to interested farmers.
• Groups/networks/associations. Completed. To begin to address group sustainability, APFDP prepared a set of “internal” guidelines for establishing groups/networks/associations. The guidelines will also be useful for possible future support to extend APFDP field activities. The guidelines were discussed in detail internally and finalized. They include a short-, medium- and long-term strategy for the various groups with which APFDP works. Based on these guidelines and experience to date with Nursery Network, the program has already supported the
28 establishment of a willow growers group, and will continue work to strengthen this group. The guidelines have served as a point of reference for the idea of establishing a livestock association, which hopefully will happen during year 4.
• Media coverage. APFDP has finalized the annual plan for media coverage of field activities. The plan identifies major themes such as forest transfer, forest strategy, willow production/processing, tree plantings, herb production, etc., and provides for radio and TV coverage, newspapers and magazine publications and preparation and delivery of leaflets, posters and booklets. To date, most of APFDP’s media activities have followed the plan, with the exception of TV broadcasts, which are high cost activities. As a result, the program is trying to use a new strategy, by using district TV stations to prepare “traveling” tapes for broadcasts at the district level, with the option for a national-level broadcast as soon as agreement on the cost of air time can be reached.
M. Intermediate Result 4
Increase number/expanded capacity of enterprises based on non-timber forest products
Indicator(s): Capacity/number of enterprises
Targets: Year 3: 10 enterprises or networks created/supported
Partners: MOAF/DGFP, private sector, various credit institutions
Assumptions: Rates of return for such new enterprises or expansion of existing ones are comparable or better to existing investment opportunities; appropriate technologies and markets are available; credit will be necessary for some enterprises but providing major inputs and credit is beyond the manageable interest of the project; commercial policies conducive to small business development
During the civil unrest in 1997, Albania’s small businesses proved to be unexpectedly resilient. For the most part, the anticipated severe shortages in supplies never materialized, as trade of food and other commodities continued even where government seemed to have lost a foothold. Thus, although Albania faces real economic difficulties, small and medium enterprise (SME) development has the potential to generate livelihood even in the absence of credit and other basic institutional support for the economy.
APFDP has fostered important steps forward. For example, some of the private nursery owners who initially joined the Nursery Network were not financially solvent and produced species of marginal interest on the market, looking to government to bail them out. However, over time these private operators have learned to target supply better, use more advanced technical methods, and benefit from their association. Similarly, APFDP has helped producers of willow materials, as well as herbs and medicinal plants to become more commercially viable. APFDP has provided well-received courses on business management, record keeping and accounting skills.
In view of the continued uncertainty and lack of institutional support from government, in year 3 APFDP in general turned toward tangible progress which can be made by individuals and communities at the local level—and in particular to the potential benefits in forestry-related SMEs.
N. Intermediate Result 4.1
Reformed policies supportive of small-scale forestry related business initiatives
Indicator(s): Reformed/new policies and/or implementation guidelines introduced/approved
Measure(s): Number enacted with APFDP input
29 Targets: Year 3: 2 (leasehold legislation and VAT tax incentives for forest tree seedling producers)
Partners: GOA (MOAF/DGFP, SSLG and MOF) plus relevant donor projects
Assumptions: GOA willing to lease state forests to entrepreneurs; GOA willing to exempt nursery owners from VAT on forest seedlings
Activities that contributed to the achievement of this result included:
• Leasehold opportunities. Ongoing. Leasehold forestry has the potential of making Albania’s forests more economically and ecologically viable as well as providing an important source of livelihood for the rural poor. APFDP has given materials to DGFP/MOAF officials on leasehold operation in other countries, and the European policy visit provided key decision makers with a firsthand look at how three countries successfully handle leasehold of forest land. During year 3, APFDP promoted practical steps toward realizing leasehold for timber and non-timber purposes through dialogue and participation in drafting appropriate leasehold legislation. While this legislation has passed, some fundamental issues raised by APFDP were not addressed in the legislation and thus, it may be difficult for someone to use this law to gain access to state forest land. Moreover, APFDP believes that the DGFP does not really like the concept of leasehold forestry as they will lose what minimum control they now have over state forests. Thus, APFDP’s intention during year 4 is to test the leasehold law with a Nursery Network member and to send key DGFP officials to the United States on a study visit to see leasehold forestry in action.
• The law on small business. Completed. APFDP explored the status and implementation of tax regulations with regard to privately owned nurseries and other SMEs in Albania. This included an assessment of the production costs and selling prices of key nursery species, to assess the extent to which a tax would affect profitability or demand for forest tree seedlings. Meetings with a Ministry of Finance official revealed that the new VAT will not affect small-scale, village-based businesses, although a flat tax is supposed to be imposed. APFDP in collaboration with the Fee and Tax Department in the Ministry of Finance got the information on the current law on small business activities. Based on this law, APFDP prepared a handout distributed to the small private entrepreneurs.
• Other SME policies. Postponed. Because the consultancy by the small business assessment specialist (see IR 4.2 below) has been delayed until 1999, identifying priority SME policy reforms has similarly been delayed.
30 O. Intermediate Result 4.2
Improved access to market information, affordable inputs and credit
Indicator(s): 1. Market information provided (proxy) 2. Access improved
Measure(s): 1. Number of media messages and extension contacts 2. Sample survey
Targets: Year 3: 10 business messages developed and distributed
Partners: MOAF/DGFP, NGOs, private sector
Assumptions: Providing information alone (as compared to providing vehicles, improved roads, etc.) will increase access to markets; people will act on information provided; providing inputs and credit is beyond the manageable interest of the project; assumed that affordable inputs and credit are locally available or can be made available by providing information to customers
Activities contributing to the achievement of this result included:
• Small business assessment. Postponed. To better focus APFDP’s small business support activities, an assessment of the potential and the support needed for small businesses dealing with non-timber forest products was planned for March 1998. A short-term small business specialist was to assist APFDP in this exercise. Due to delays in recruiting a qualified and available consultant, the assessment was postponed until September. Now due to the evacuation situation, this assessment has again been put on hold. However, APFDP is exploring with USAID the possibility of using third-country short-term assistance to conduct the assessment. If approved, this activity will begin in February/March 1999.
• Participation in local and international trade shows. Completed. For certain sectors of small businesses, access to international markets is the major constraint for expansion. To overcome this, APFDP supported the participation of three non-timber forest product entrepreneurs in the 63rd Thessaloniki International Trade Fair in September 1998. Also a calendar of relevant trade shows, related to non-timber forest products, was prepared and distributed to interested persons for future reference.
APFDP prepared the leaflet for the firm Funghi Export and distributed it during the Tirana International Fair held November 25-30, 1997.
APFDP prepared the labels and leaflets for, and supported participation in the Tirana International Fair of the Driloni, a honey producer from Pogradec. During the fair, the owner sold over 500 kg of honey.
• Willow sector support. In support of a struggling wicker production and processing sector in Albania, APFDP supported both willow growers and willow producers during year 3. The result of this support, which continued throughout the year, was a network of willow processors and a network of willow producers, with both networks communicating with each other. Activities to achieve these results were:
R Willow study. Completed. Based on the study “Willow Production as a Business Activity,” a willow workshop was conducted on October 30, 1997. The workshop was to bring together willow growers, willow processors, wicker products dealers and GOA representatives for
31 discussions on: (1) how to develop the production/processing of willow in Albania; and (2) further actions required regarding policy and marketing of willow products.
R Willow growers and processors. Completed. During the 1998 planting season, the willow growers in Pogradeci District increased the area planted with willow growing. In addition, one more willow processor, who operates on a family basis (10 members), was identified in Korça District. The main market for this company is Greece. APFDP arranged a meeting between this processor and the willow growers in Pogradeci District, and an agreement was reached on the sale of willow wands. APFDP assisted with the preparation of a draft contract.
Also, during the year, four additional willow growers were identified and included in the network: two from Zagorçani village, Pogradeci District, and two from Shkodra District.
R Benefit/cost analyses. Completed. Cash flow data comparing willow and carrot production were collected and analyzed to compare their economic returns as farmers consider carrot growing more economically viable than willow. However, the analyses showed that willow gives a significant higher rate of return and has considerably less labor costs. Drawing on these analyses, APFDP prepared a leaflet and distributed it to interested farmers.
• Seed supply. Completed. During January-February, the Botanical Garden provided seed for the private nursery operators, and APFDP imported forest and ornamental seed, as well as small quantities of etheric oil seeds. The seeds were distributed to the private nurseries owners as well as to some private herb dealers. The Nursery Network has so far organized its own seed collection with some exotic, difficult-to-get species supplemented by APFDP imports. Seeds for ornamental species were collected in the Botanical Garden. Given the relatively low demand as yet for forest tree seedlings, there seems little scope for starting a business based on seed collection at this time. However, this situation could change given proposed AFP seedling and seed requirements and possible expansion of the Nursery Network.
• Herb sector support. Ongoing. Early during the 1st quarter, APFDP identified some herb dealers and attempted to arrange a meeting with them on October 14, 1997. Unfortunately, the meeting had to be canceled due to poor participation. However, in preparing for this workshop, it became apparent that the herb market is dominated by one large company, Albducros. APFDP has concluded that at this point there is not much APFDP can do to change the market structure. Instead, this aspect of the herb dealer program will now concentrate on collaborating with Albducros to improve the skills and interest at the collector level. As previously stated, APFDP has prepared a program and a memorandum of understanding for further cooperation. This program contains technical training for herb and etheric oil plant growers and collectors, farmers exchange visits, and establishment of demonstration plots.
• International market information. Ongoing. During the year, APFDP contacted the commercial attachés in the Greek, Italian, Swiss and French embassies to obtain information about foreign companies dealing with non-timber forest products. A list of these companies was prepared and distributed to interested individuals, giving the names of the companies, the
32 products they deal with, and their addresses and telephone and facsimile numbers. APFDP continued to maintain contact with these individuals throughout the year.
• Small business development related to other non-timber forest products. Completed. A survey on forestry-related small business development in Albania was carried out. The results were published and distributed to the interested persons. The survey was based on the data gathered from main offices in Albania such as MOAF, the National Statistics Institute, DGFP, the Directorate General of Customs and on field data from the private sector. The survey shows the development of the non-timber forest product sector in Albania during the last 10 years.
• Shengjergji lamb project. Completed. In April 1998, APFDP investigated if credit would be available for a lamb-raising project in Shengjeri. The program found that no credit institution operating in the rural sector provided credit for livestock.
P. Intermediate Result 4. 3
Improved business management and technical skills
Indicator(s): Training sessions; entrepreneurs trained
Measure(s): Number
Targets: Year 3: 60 entrepreneurs trained in business management skills
Partners: SARA, LOL
Assumptions: Training results in improved skills; skills are applied
Activities that contributed to the achievement of this result included:
• Business management study visits. Completed. APFDP arranged a study visit in Turkey for four nursery owners. Carried out in early February 1998, it gave participants increased knowledge about modern nursery operations, seedling production and marketing, and the functions of a private nursery association. This knowledge enabled the nursery owners to play a leading role in establishing a Nursery Association in Albania, improve the operation of their own private nurseries, thereby providing Albania with a better quality of seedlings at a reasonable cost.
Also, APFDP has conducted a study visit in Hungary for five willow processors and producers from Shkodra, Pogradec and Korça districts. This visit was conducted in May 1998. The participants, through visits to research nurseries, willow production sites and small processing centers, increased their knowledge of modern and appropriate techniques for willow production and processing. In June a one-day, follow-up meeting was organized with the participants for a presentation of the findings and recommendations resulting from the tour.
• Willow techniques training courses. Completed. APFDP conducted three training courses on improved willow growing, willow maintenance and willow harvesting techniques during the year. The main focus of the courses was on preparation of cuttings, and the necessary management interventions in a willow plot during the spring summer and autumn seasons. Each of these courses was followed by meetings organized with willow growers and willow processors to discuss problems and opportunities.
• Business management training. Completed. APFDP, in collaboration with GTZ-SME promotion, organized and conducted a five-day business training seminar for three willow processors, one
33 willow grower, two nursery operators, one mushroom dealer and one herb dealer. The training took place in Tirana in June at the Regional Business Development Agency. The main topics of the course were preparation of business plans, risk assessment, inventory management and marketing.
• Recordkeeping and accounting training. Completed. A repetition of last year’s course in recordkeeping and accounting was conducted on June 1998, for small business entrepreneurs within the non-timber forestry sector. This training, for members of the various networks, was aimed at improving participants’ understanding of financial tracking.
• Cost of forest seedlings. Completed. APFDP is supporting the private nursery owners in analyzing their production costs to better identify a reasonable price of seedlings. A report on the actual costs of seedling production for selected species as well as an assessment of the traditional “norms” for estimating labor requirements was published and distributed in January.
• Nut tree production. Postponed. The Albanian climate is very favorable for growing various kinds of nuts. Already, chestnuts and walnuts are grown in several regions of the country and represent a potential source of income for many farmers. To support and improve nut production, APFDP planned to use external short-term assistance to conduct a six-week assessment and training session (both field and classroom) on improved nut production techniques for interested individuals. This session was scheduled for September 1998 but was postponed due to the evacuation status. As in the case of the SME consultant, APFDP is exploring with USAID the possibility of using third-country, short-term assistance to conduct this training. If approved, this activity will begin in February/March 1999.
34 ANNEX A
APFDP Year 4 Work Plan
Activity Time Line4
Evac. Period First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Respon- Result/Activity 10/98 to sibility 12/99 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
RESULT: Increased private and decentralized management of Albania’s forest and pasture resources.
1. Forest Strategy Finalization (3-6 months dialogue) JRS, VC, VM To Minister
2. Gender Baseline Survey/implementation of recom. SHO, VY Plan done Implementation
3. Environmental Awareness Campaign VY, JRS, Plan done Imp TOT/Macedonia HO, STTA
4. District level environmental awareness campaign VY, NN
IR1: Improved utilization of forest and pasture resources on private and refused/non- divided lands
IR 1.1 Reformed policies supportive of forestry/pasture initiatives on private and refused/non-divided lands
1. Extend the deadline of forests restitution to ex- THL by Dec. 98 owners
4 KEY: AG = Anila Gani; APG = Alicia Grimes; EJ = Entela Jani; HK = Haki Kola; Imp = implementation; KD = Klodian Delaliassi; KM = Kole Malaj; LSTTA = Local short-term technical assistance; NN = Nursery Network; SHO = Shpresa Ohri; THL = Thimaq Lako; Trn = training; VC = Vojsava Carcani; VM = Vezir Muharremi; VOCA = Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance; VY = Valbona Ylli.
35 Evac. Period First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Respon- Result/Activity 10/98 to sibility 12/99 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2. Amendment of legislation on private forests: THL by 4th Q.
• draft amendment THL
• circulate for discussion THL
• workshop to achieve consensus VY, THL
• legislation submitted and approved THL X5 X X X X X X X X
3. Continue development of Private Forest Owners’ THL, SHO X Network
4. Continue discussion on changing land designation APFDP X legislation (APFDP will undertake field action despite the lack of legislation which can follow later)
IR 1.2: Economical viable and ecologically sustainable land use practices adopted by individuals
1. Private forest management plan - Fieri SHO, THL, NN
• conduct PRA with owner and surrounding SHO, THL, Nov 98 villages NN
• preparation of a “social” management plan in SHO, THL, Dec 98 Fieri; NN
• assist owner with implementation/monitoring SHO, THL, X X X X X X X X X X X X NN
• study tours/workshops for other owners SHO, THL, X X X X X X VY, NN
2. Chestnut improvement/disease control
• extend FPRI subcontract JRS, THL Oct 98
5 ”X” indicates ongoing activities.
36 Evac. Period First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Respon- Result/Activity 10/98 to sibility 12/99 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
• continue to monitor field trial results THL X
• conduct a chestnut marketing survey in Tirana AG by Dec 98 Analysis and and Pogradec (additional activities for Year 4, Recommendations for TBD) Future Action
• extend the technology, if successful and THL, VY, AG X X X X X X X consider potential for local NGOs involvement
• Nuts study with STTA APG, JRS, X X X AG
3. Vetiver/erosion control
• finalize the subcontract with Soil Research JRS, VY by Oct 98 Institute to extend the activity on two more plots and one nursery
• continue to monitor vetiver/SRI performance; VY, APG, X check the possibility of bringing Michael Pease JRS to Albania
• based on vetiver success, arrange local study VY, APG tours and workshops
• Extend technology to other districts VY, APFDP
37 Evac. Period First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Respon- Result/Activity 10/98 to sibility 12/99 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
4. Botanical Garden
• extend the contract with the Botanical Garden JRS, THL by Oct 98
• conduct a technical and financial analysis of THL, AG by Nov 98 nursery and demonstration plots
• disseminate (preliminary) results THL, AG
• organize and conduct local study tours if THL, AG, VY appropriate
5. Agroforestry demonstration plots
• carry out the second evaluation of 1998 season THL, LSTTA by Nov 98
• get the Nursery Network proposal on: THL, VY - improving the existing demonstration plots, by Nov 98 and - starting new demonstration plots
• develop and refine “Fieri agroforestry models’; NN, HPI, AG Plan and analyses com- Plan implementation and prepare business plans/financial analyses pleted by Jan 98 extension program as appropriate
• Organize/conduct farmer-to-farmer study tours THL, HPI, AG, VY, NN
6. Heifer Project International (HPI)/livestock and HPI pastures
• draft and finalize the HPI subcontract JRS, DN, by Nov 98 SHO
• monitor the ‘traditional’ HPI activities SHO X
• Strengthening of existing livestock groups
- Technical training
- Local study tours (also for new groups)
- Farmer-to-farmer exchange visits (also new groups)
38 Evac. Period First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Respon- Result/Activity 10/98 to sibility 12/99 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- DAF and HPI livestock extensionist visits to farms (also for new groups)
- Routine group meetings (also for new groups)
• New project activity intervention
- New group identification
- New group leaders’ training/meetings
- New Technicians training
• Training on embryo transfer
• assess the potential for establishing farmers’ SHO, VOCA, associations (FA) in Lezhe AG, HPI, LSSTA
- prepare TOR for the study on opportunities SHO, VOCA, by Nov 98 for establishing FAs AG, HPI
- develop a work plan for the study SHO, VOCA, by Dec 98 AG, HPI
- recruit local expertise to carry out the study SHO, VOCA, by Dec 98 AG, HPI
- implement analysis + discussion SHO, VOCA, AG, HPI, LSTTA
• begin association building in Lezhe and initiate SHO, VOCA, association studies in other areas if appropriate AG, HPI
• procure and distribute animals as appropriate JRS, APG, animals ID’ed Pro- HPI, SHO by Nov 98 curement Quarantine Distribution Follow-up
• develop a plan for pasture improvement demo JRS, SHO, Plan and TOR MOU and Development of demo plots; plots based on Anderson’s study; draft and HPI by Dec subcontract finalize a MOU and subcontracts with the 98 by Feb 99 Implementation and monitoring Forage Research Institute
39 Evac. Period First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Respon- Result/Activity 10/98 to sibility 12/99 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
• evaluation of artificial insemination program EJ, SHO, regarding: AG, HPI
- repayment of APFDP money EJ, SHO, by Nov 98 AG, HPI
- money put together by the group and EJ, SHO, by Dec 98 group’s criteria on how this money will be AG, HPI used
- cross check with Land O’ Lakes SHO, HPI by Nov 98 insemination program/opportunities and problems
- continue program? JRS, SHO, Decision to HPI continue by 1st Q
IR 2: Increased decentralization and sustainable management of state forests and pastures
IR 2.1: Enhanced policy environment for transferring state forests
1. Eventually revise Regulation No. 308 VM, JRS Ongoing with draft legislation by the end of the 3rd Q (WB/AFP + APFDP + DGFP)
2. Follow and advise on the developments in Komuna VM, JRS Ongoing with draft legislation by the end of the 4th Q forest legislation
3. Finalize the Manual on Forest Transfer and VM manual by Trn Trn Trn Trn organize training (districts, NGOs, etc.) Nov 98
IR 2.2: Groundwork laid for sustainable management of transferred komuna forests and pastures
1. Conduct joint WB/AFP+APFDP workshops on HK, VM, KM, by Nov 98 Komuna forest transfer (details to be discussed) VY
2. Finalization of forest transfer in Komuna Blinisht VM, SHO by Nov 98
3. Implementation of Blinisht management plan SHO, VM
40 Evac. Period First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Respon- Result/Activity 10/98 to sibility 12/99 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
• lay down the criteria - private or komunal - for SHO, VM, Criteria Discuss with APFDP support JRS by Nov 98 komuna
• determine best mechanism for money control SHO, VM, by Nov 98 Discuss with AG, JRS komuna
• plan implementation SHO, VM X
4. Identify new komuna(s) for undertaking the forest SHO, VM transfer; key criteria is a forest with some economic value
• Komuna Kashnjet (conduct PRA) SHO, VM by Dec 98
• begin transfer process in Kashnjet if appropriate SHO, VM X X X X X X X X X X X X or identify another komuna in discussion with DGFP; PRAs as required
5. Begin to transfer the transfer process to the District VM, SHO, VY X Forest Services
IR3: Increased public and private forestry extension capacity
IR 3.1: Groundwork laid for the establishment of a coherent and dynamic public extension organization
1. Continue dialogue on development of a JRS, VY, VC X komuna/private extension organization in the DGFP
IR 3.2: Increased capacity of public organizations, NGOs and private suppliers to provide extension services
1. Develop REC subcontract for support to local JRS, VC by Oct 98 NGOs
• assist REC to develop and monitor NGO THL, VC X proposals and activities as required
41 Evac. Period First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Respon- Result/Activity 10/98 to sibility 12/99 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2. Media plan implementation VY, LSTTA
• Check the opportunity for cooperation with local VY by Nov 98 Plan Implementation Video final products, air time and TV stations (Pogradec, Lezhe, Shkodra etc.) broadcast
3. Private forestry extension VY, AG
• Continue to work with Nursery Network of VY, THL, AG X private forestry extension opportunities
4. Develop MOU for cooperation with Alb-Ducros. VY, AG by Nov 98 Develop demo (APFDP provides seed to Alb-Ducros while Alb- plots Ducros will provide in turn, training to farmers on NTFP.)
• Monitor field plot performance from a technical VY, AG X and financial perspective
• Develop extension program (study tours, VY, AG X X X X X workshops, etc.), if appropriate
5. Ensure guidelines and program for the APFDP establishment of groups/networks/ associations are X update as required
6. Prepare the Fourth Year Training Plan VY by Dec 98
7. Prepare and distribute publications & extension Tech. Staff, As required materials as required KD
8. Update APFDP “events” publication and distribute VY by Dec 98 as required
IR4: Expanded number/capacity of enterprises based on non-timber forest products.
IR 4.1: Reformed policies supportive of small scale NTFP -related business initiatives
1. Continue dialogue on improved leasehold AG, VC, JRS X legislation
• develop “test” leasehold with NN member AG, VC, JRS
42 Evac. Period First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Respon- Result/Activity 10/98 to sibility 12/99 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2. Conduct SME assessment; identify other policy AG, VC, JRS X constraints
IR 4.2: Improved access to market information, affordable inputs and credit
1. Contact “Opportunity International” to look at the AG, APFDP by Nov 98 MOU/Plan by end possible cooperation for providing credit to NTFP of 1st Q Plan implementation enterprises; develop MOU/plan as appropriate
AG 2. Carry out marketing studies on:
• chestnut AG Analysis and implementation of recommendations
• livestock (Lezhe district) AG Analysis and implementation of recommendations
3. Business plans preparation/assistance as required. AG X
4. Willow production and processing: AG, VY, NN
• organize and conduct a regional workshop in AG, VY, NN by Nov 98 Shkodra with willow producers and processors, followed by:
• continued training and extension in Shkodra AG, VY, NN Trn Trn Trn and Pogradec as required
• conduct workshops in other potential “willow” NN, AG, VY Trn Trn Trn districts, e.g., Fier, Lezhe, Berat and Vlore
7. Support private sector participation in regional AG, VC As appropriate NTFP - related trade fairs as appropriate
8. Organize and conduct business management AG, VY training for:
• new Nursery Network members AG, VY Trn Trn
• herb demonstration plots AG, VY Trn Trn
• willow producers and processors AG, VY Trn Trn
• livestock groups AG, VY Trn Trn
43 Evac. Period First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Respon- Result/Activity 10/98 to sibility 12/99 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
9. Continue to collect and distribute information/data AG, VC on NTFP; continue to maintain contact with the X commercial attaches to explore NTFP export opportunities
44 ANNEX B
Training: Year 2, 3 and Upcoming Events for Evacuation Period
A. Policy Training/Roundtable Discussions
A1. Forest Policy Formulation
Meeting/Topic Audience Timing Responsibility
Approaches to forest policy; Policy Working Group June 1996 Policy team Special issues: 1. Refused lands 2. Transfers of Forest to Komunas
Correcting policy obstacles to same April 1996 same extension service reform
Enabling policies for refused land same September 1996 same
Land adjudication policy reform same October 1996 same
Land administration policies in policy makers May 1997 same other European Countries
Restitution of forest land; same June 1997 same experience to date
Forest short-term strategy Key decision makers December 1997 DGFP/ APFDP - policy team/ World Bank
Private Forest Owners - round Private Forest owners May 1998 Thimaq Lako/ table Valbona Ylli
Social benefit -cost analysis AUT professors June 1998 Rajan K. Sampath
Agriculture Project Analysis MOAF June 1998 Rajan K. Sampath
Forestry sector Strategy - Round DGFP/FPRI/AUT For. December 1998 APFDP staff Table6 Dep./APFDP
A2. Specialized Training Workshops or Courses
Meeting/Topic Audience Timing Responsibility
1.PRA Refused Land Survey Komuna/ village representatives, August 1996 Policy Team district DGFP, farmers, private farm and forest enterprises 2.PRA Gov’t Survey Team August 1996 Jeff Saussier
PRA for NGO Institutional Community-focused NGOs September same Strengthening 1996
PRA for phase II Refused Komuna/village representatives, October 1996 External specialist land Survey district DGFP
6 Italics indicate future events.
45 Meeting/Topic Audience Timing Responsibility
Gender Baseline Survey Farmers of APFDP villages’ June 1998 Mary Clark/ AUT activity professors
Blinishti Komuna Forest DGFP, Lezha district Council, During 1998 Vezir Muharremi Transfer Head of Blinishti Komuna, Villages Jeff Saussier “Kryeplak”, farmers Shpresa Ohri
A3. Policy Seminars and Workshops
Seminar Meeting/Topic Audience Timing Responsibility
Introduction to Specialized Government agencies, July 1996 Policy Team Information for Policy Making NGOs, commercial interests
Results of Refused Land Survey same Sept. 1996 same
Results of expanded Refused land Government Agencies October 1996 same Survey Responsible for land
Results of Silvo - Pastoral policy MOAF directorates and January 1997 same Survey agencies
Forestry Extension: Lessons MOAF directorates and February 1997 same Learned: Next Steps agencies
Forest decentralization DGFP, MOAF May 1997 Th. L./ V.M.
Forest strategy MOAF, DGFP,DFSs,NGO December 1997 DGFP staff/V.Y
Round table on “Silvo -Pastoral APFDP, Shengjergj village March 1998 DN/SHO management system in Shengjergj rep., Tirana Directorate of village” Agriculture rep. ACBA
B. Technical and Organizational Field Training
B1. Orientation Workshops
Meeting/Topic Audience Timing Responsibility
Orientation in Vlora District District, komuna, village April 26, 1996 FTC representatives, private farmers, PCVs
Orientation in Lezha District District, komuna, village March 3, 1996 same representatives, private farmers, PCVs
Orientation in Pogradec District District, komuna, village July 5, 1996 same representatives, private farmers, PCVs
46 B2. Technical and Extension Training
Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
Continue with DGFP to determine Ongoing FTC feasibility of placing forestry extension agents into course
Selection of state and private forestry June 1996 same agents first year
PRA Training APFDP staff May 1996 Jeff Saussier
Extension Training Course Public and private June 1996 FTC/IDT -communication extension agents Extension -PRA Specialist -extension techniques
Village meetings training Public and private September 1996 V.Y, A.G. extension agents
Government PRA training MOAF September 1996 Jeff Saussier
NGO training Various NGOs related September 1996 Jeff Saussier to environment and forestry sector
PRA Land Survey MOAF October 1996 V. Ylli
Extension planning and management Public and private October 1996 V.Ylli extension agents
Extension Planing and Management Public and private April 1997 V.Ylli extension agents
Selection of state and private forest on going FTC agents
Extension Training Public and private July 1997 AUT/APFDP -communication extension agents Extension -extension techniques specialist
Adult Learning Training APFDP, NGOs, AUT, February/ M. Zimsky institutions related with March/April, 1997 A.Vendresha APFDP V.Ylli
Nursery Practices Nursery Network September B. Shera Members 1997 E. Skenderi
Public Awareness Campaign DGFP/FPRI/MAF/ Oct.-Nov Bill Mackie MOE/ NGOs 1997
Nursery Practices Nursery Network Oct. ‘97 V. Sota Members
Nursery Practice Nursery Network Nov.’97 P. Trasha Members
Facilitator’s role DGFP, FPRI November 1997 V. Ylli
NN training needs for 1998 Nursery Network Dec. 1997 APFDP/NN Members
Forest Management Plan Lezha DFS, Troshan February 1998 Jeff Saussier, V. farmers Muharremi
Nursery Practices Nursery Network March 1998 E. Numani Members
47 Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
Willow 10 technical training Willow Growers March 1998 F. Sheri Pogradec
Nursery Practices Nursery Network April 1998 R. Uka Members
Chestnut technical training Chestnut owners May 1998 V. Cinari Pogradec
Willow 20 technical training Willow Growers May 1998 F. Sheri Pogradec
Forest Management Plans Lezha DFS, Troshan August 1998 V. Muharremi farmers
Vetiver research first phase results - SRI/APFDP November 1998 V.Ylli round table
Chestnut research first phase results- Stropska farmers, December 1998 Th. Lako round table DGFP/FPRI/AUT For. Dep/APFDP
B3. Small Business Training
Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
1° Nursery Management Seedling growers August 1996 A.Gani/ APBSSP
1°Business Management Businessman related to October 1996 APFDP forestry and secondary forest SBS/AUT products
2° Nursery Management Seedling growers March 1997 A.Gani/ APBSSP/PFA
2° Business Management Training Businessman related to April 1997 A.Gani, AUT forestry and secondary forest products
3° Business Management Businessman related to June 1997 APFDP forestry and secondary forest SBS/AUT products
Record Keeping and Accounting Businessman related to June 1997 A.Gani / forestry and secondary forest F.Kalemi products
Willow Workshop growers, processors, forestry October 1997 A.Gani technicians
3° Business Management Businessman related to June 1998 GTZ forestry and secondary forest products
Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
Record Keeping and Accounting Businessman related to July 1998 A.Gani, F.Kalemi forestry and secondary forest products
Willow business training Willow growers at September F. Sheri, A.Gani Tushemisht village 1998
48 Willow regional Workshop Shkodra producers and November A.Gani, V.Ylli processors 1998
B4. HPI
Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
Management of pregnant goats Alarup goats group Alarup February 1997 D. Nanaj/ L.Hajno
Management of goats during winter same October 1996 D.Nanaj
Goats Reproduction same August 1996 D.Nanaj
Project management; rural family same July 1996 D.Nanaj
Livestock health shepherds Dukati June 1996 S. Vela
Project management same June 1996 D.Nanaj
Sheep reproduction; rural family same August 1996 D.Nanaj
Management of pregnant sows sows group Kallmet January 1997 P. Papazisi
Project management; rural family same June 1996 D. Nanaj
Silvo - pastoral management Dukat farmers July 1996 D.Nanaj
Goats breeding goats group Alarup August 1997 Bedri Lilo
Pigs breeding sows group Trashan September 1996 D.Nanaj
Pigs breeding sows group Kallmet October 1996 D.Nanaj
Sows health condition sows group Trashan January 1997 D. Nanaj/ P. Papazisi
Management of pregnant sows same January 1997 P. Papazisi
Project management; HPI concept same July 1996 D.Nanaj
Group Leaders Training members from August 1997 D.Nanaj/ ACBA existing livestock groups
Veterinarian training private vets. from August 1997 D.Nanaj/ ACBA each livestock group
Piglets’ management Farmer’s group April 1997 Vlash Toma Kallmet
Food for piglets same June 1997 same
Piglets’ management Farmer’s group April 1997 Ded Zefi Trashan
Food for piglets same June 1997 same
Kids’ management Farmer’s group Alarup April 1997 Bedri Lilo
Food for kids same June 1997 same
Pigs breeding Troshan group Sept. 1999 19971 Ded Zefi
Pigs breeding Kallmet group September 1997 Ded Zefi
49 Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
Shelter for goats Alarup group October 1997 Bedri Lilo
Shelter for pigs Troshan group October 1997 D.Nanaj
Shelter for pigs Kallmet group October 1997 1 D. Nanaj
Livestock group management training group members from October Jerry Acker/ Kallmet, Trashan, D.Nanaj Dukat & Alarup postponed, travel restrictions
Goats feeding in winter Alarup group December 1997 D. Nanaj
Pigs feeding in winter Trashan group December 1997 D.Nanaj
Pigs feeding in winter Kallmet group December 1997 D.Nanaj
Artificial insemination Inseminators in areas April 1998 ABC related to APFDP activities
Kids management Alarup farmers June 1998 F. Bega
Chios sheep management Stropska farmers June 1998 D. Nanaj
Round Table on Private Pastures FPRI, DGFP, Forage December 1998 Sh. Ohri Improvement Institute, MOAF specialist, AUT/Forestry faculty, Lezha DFS, Fier DFS
B5. Village Meetings
Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
Village demonstration meeting Spiten,Lezhe farmers June 1996 FTC/FTCC/IDT
Village demonstration meeting Kallmet, Lezhe same June 1996 same
Village demonstration meeting Troshan,Lezhe same June 1996 same
Village demonstration meeting Novosel,Vlore same June 1996 same
Village demonstration meeting Kote, Vlore same June 1996 same
Village demonstration meeting Dukat, Vlore same June 1996 same
Village demonstration meeting Tushemisht, same June 1996 same Pogradec
Village demonstration meeting Leshnic, same June 1996 same Pogradec
Village demonstration meeting Cerrave, same June 1996 same Pogradec
Shengjergj: Silvo Pastoral Study same October 24, HPI 1997
Komuna forest transfer/ Forest management Blinishti komuna During 1998 V. Muharremi farmers
50 B6. Farm Visits and Local Study Tours
Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
Lezha Local Study Tour farmers February FTC/FTCC/IDT 1997
Small Ruminants new management Alarup farmers February D. Nanaj/ L. techniques 1997 Hajno/ SRC
Sheep management during winter Alarup farmers visit to Dersnik December D. Nanaj/ SRS village in Korca 11, 1997 Korca
Sows and milking cows Trashan group visit to December D. Nanaj/ management during winter Samarisht village in Shkodra 18, 1997 P. Nika
Sows and milking cows Kallmet group visit to December D. Nanaj/ management during winter Samarisht village in Shkodra 17, 1997 B. Vukaj
Forest etheric oil seedlings Lezha farmers December P. Trasha Forest protection 1997 - March New afforestation 1998 Industrial willow afforestation
Forest and ornamental seedlings Fieri farmers December V. Sota New afforestation 1997 - March Agro forestry techniques 1998 Etheric oil plant growing
Fruit tree, forest and ornamental Vlora farmers December N. Haderi seedlings 1997 - March Forest windbreaks 1998
Forest transfer to komuna in APFDP staff/ WB(APF) staff May 1998 H. Kola/ Elbasan V. Muharremi
Spring and summer management Pogradec farmers June 1998 D. Nanaj of small ruminants
Kommuna forest local study tour in APFDP and WB November V. Muharremi Lezh 1998
Kommuna forest local study tour in APFDP and WB November V. Muharremi Elbasan 1998
Farmer’s study tour on herbs Farmers March/May A.Gani 1998 Albducros postponed
B7. Komuna Workshops for Transfer of Use Rights
Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
Komuna Forest Workshop
APFDP DGFP, Local December COP/FTC/ Government, three 1996 FTCC/ IDT District rep.
Lezhe DGFP, Local December same Government, Lezha 1996 commune rep.
Komuna forest transfer regional Albanian northern November WB/APF and workshop districts 1998 APFDP
51 Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
Komuna forest transfer regional Albanian southern November WB/APF and workshop districts 1998 APFDP
B8. Regional Training and Workshops
Program/Activity Audience Timing Responsibility
U.S. PROGRAMS
Master Degree, Natural Resources AUT professor 1996-1998 COP/Policy Team Economics
Livestock Extension Training APFDP livestock Specialist June 1996 COP/IDT
USDA TOT APFDP Extension Specialist Sept. 1996 COP/IDT
13 International Seminar on Forest MAF rep.& Komuna Sept. 1997 COP/Policy Team and Natural Resources Forestry Specialist
REGIONAL STUDY TOURS
Poland-Slovenia Livestock Tour Livestock specialist and September FTC farmers 1996
Romania Livestock Tour Livestock specialist June 1997 FTC
Study Tour to American Farm Extension agents November FTC School, Thessaloniki, Greece 1996
Decision makers policy tour to 3 2 Ministers and 2 policy December COP/Policy Team European Countries advisers 1997
World Forestry Congress, Turkey COP/FTCC/ PSC October 1997 COP
Hungary Study Tour Willow growers and May 1998 A. Gani processors
B9. NGO Training and Capacity Building
Activity/Event Audience Timing Responsibility
Contract of NGO intern N/A July-Sept 1996 COP, Training Coordinator
PRA training of NGOs Selected NGOs September 1996 Policy Team/ IDT/STTA
NGO PRA seminar NGOs, donors, GOA September 1996 Policy Team/ officials IDT/STTA
Adult Learning Training NGOs, DGFP..... April 1997 IDT
B10. In-House and Short-term Consultant Training of the APFDP
Topics Audience Timing Responsibility
Results Framework APFDP staff November 1995 John Cann
PRA training IDT and selected APFDP staff May 1996 COP/ Jeff Saussier
PRA Training of Trainers Selected technical Staff May 1996 same
52 Topics Audience Timing Responsibility
Training management Extension Specialist August 1996 COP
Planing for Year Two APFDP Technical staff October 1996 COP
Adult Learning Training APFDP, NGOs February/ April ALT Consultant 1997
Results Framework training in COP and PS June 1997 Chemonics HO Washington
Study Tour FTC June 1997 NAC
Awareness Campaign DGFP, FPRI, Extension October - B. Mackie Consultant Agents, MAF Center of November 1997 Information, etc.
Komuna Forest Transfer APFDP and Lezha DFS February and July Jeff Saussier 1998
Silvo - pastoral management H.P.I. staff July 1998 Bruce Anderson
Gender TOT APFDP staff, NGOs July 1998 Mary Clark
53 Some More Information on Training
Event Date Trainer/Facilitator Number of Venue Participant s
PRA Training 09-25.05.1996 Jeff Saussier 7 APFDP
PRA Training 24.06 - 03.07. 1996 V. Ylli/ Th. Lako 12 Pogradec
1° Nursery Mgt. Training 12 - 21.08.1996 APBSSP/A.Gani 10 Fushe Kruje
Village Meeting Training 02 - 03.09.1996 V.Ylli/A.Gani 12 MAF, SARA Project
Gov. PRA training 12.08- 09.04.1996 Jeff Saussier 10 APFDP 8 PRA Land Survey 16 - 19.10.1996 V.Ylli APFDP 9 NGO Training 06-24.09.1996 Jeff Saussier APFDP 6 Extension Plan 08.10.1996 V. Ylli Lezhe/Pogradec/Vlor 6 e Adult Learning Training 25.02.1997 A.Vendresha/M.Zimski 8 Botanical Garden Adult Learning Training 19.03.1997 V.Ylli 6 APFDP 2° Nursery Mgt. Training 03-08.03.1997 A.Gani/APBSSP/PFA 15 Botanical Garden Adult Learning Training 04.04.1997 V.Ylli 6 Botanical Garden Extension Plan 21.04.1997 V.Ylli Botanical Garden Business Mgt. Training 2 -25.04.1997 A.Gani/AUT 8 Botanical Garden Business Mgt. Training 16-19.06.1997 A.Gani/AUT 6 Botanical Garden Record Keeping & 19-22.06.1997 A.Gani/F.Kalemi 7 Accounting Botanical Garden
54 Event Date Trainer/Facilitator Number of Venue Participant s
Forestry Extension 28.07 - 06.08.1997 V.Ylli/AUT 26 Botanical Garden
Nursery Practice 01 - 05.09.1997 B. Shera 8 Qenam village, AUT
Nursery Practice 15 -16. 10.1997 V. Sota, K. 12(NN, Fieri Fieri DDFS, Sota & Kocani(DGFP) DDFS) Novosela Nursery
Nursery Practice 01.11.1997 P. Trasha 8 Lezha DDAgr, Gjelberimi Nursery Facilitator’s role 26.11.1997 V. Ylli 5 (DGFP & APFDP Office & FPRI) Schateau Linza
Nursery Practice 05.03.1998 Edmond Numani 8 “Greeness” enterprise, Fier Nursery Practice 21.04.1998 Rexhep Uka 8 Lezha Directorate of Agriculture &”Greenees” nursery Willow training 10.03.1998 Flamur Sheri 13 Tushemisht, Pogradec Chestnut technical 13.05.1998 Vexhi Cinari 4 training Stropska, Pogradec 27-28. 05.1998 Flamur Sheri 11 Willow training Tushemisht, 29.06-03.07.1998 GTZ 7 Pogradec Business Management Regional Forest Management Plan 4-5. 02. 1998 & J. Saussier, V. 10 Development 18,24,25.02.1998 Muharremi, Sh. Ohri Business Agency Troshan, Lezhe
Ministry of Agriculture Project 1-12. 06. 1998 Sampath 13 Agriculture Analysis Ministry of Social Benefit Cost 15-26.06. 1998 Sampath 9 Agriculture analysis
Event Date Trainer/Facilitator Number of Venue Participant s
Gender TOT 22-23.06.1998 Mari Clark/Anila 31 Botanical Garden Vendresha Record Keeping and 27-29.07.1998 A.Gani, F.Kalemi 10 Botanical Garden Accounting
Forest Management 12-14, 19-21, 26-28. Vezir Muharremi 13 Fishata Village, Plans 08. 1998 Lezhe
Willow training 30.09.1998 Flamur Sheri, A.Gani 8 Tushemisht elementary school and willow plot
55 Event Date Trainer/Facilitator Number of Venue Participant s
Livestock group June 6, 1996 S. Vela 10 Dukat Project management June 6, 1996 D. Nanaj 10 Dukat Project management June 30, 1996 D. Nanaj 20 Kallmet Silvo-pastoral July 6, 1996 D. Nanaj 11 Dukat management Project management July 23, 1996 D. Nanaj 26 Alarup Project management July 30, 1996 D. Nanaj 20 Troshan Reproduction of sheep August 22, 1996 D. Nanaj 25 Dukat Reproduction of goats August 26, 1996 D. Nanaj 23 Alarup HPI Philosophy September 3, 1996 D. Nanaj 20 Trashan Pigs breed September 10, 1996 D. Nanaj 16 Trashan Pigs breed October 8, 1996 D. Nanaj 18 Kallmet Goats mgt. in winter October 27, 1996 D. Nanaj 26 Alarup Pregnant sows mgt. January 30, 1997 P. Papazisi 28 Kallmet Sows health January 31, 1997 D. Nanaj, P. Papazisi 21 Trashan Pregnant sows mgt. January 31, 1997 P. Papazisi 21 Trashan Pregnant goats mgt. February 26, 1997 D. Nanaj, L. Hajno 45 Alarup Management of kids April 20, 1997 B. Lilo 38 Alarup
Event Date Trainer/Facilitator Number of Venue Participants
Management of piglets April 28, 1997 V. Toma 19 Kallmet Feeding of kids June 13, 1997 B. Lilo 43 Alarup Feeding of piglets June 10, 1997 D. Zefi 20 Trashan Feed for piglet June 20, 1997 V. Toma 29 Kallmet Goats breeding August 26, 1997 B. Lilo 29 Alarup Group leaders training August 11-13, 1997 D. Nanaj/ ACBA 12 Botanical garden Veterinarian training August 14-16, 1997 D. Nanaj/ACBA 6 Botanical garden Breeding of pigs September 22, 1997 D. Zefi 22 Trashan Breeding of pigs September 10, 1997 S. Deda 24 Kallmet Shelter for goats October 20, 1997 B. Lilo 37 Alarup Shelter for pigs October 24, 1997 D. Nanaj 27 Trashan Shelter for pigs October 23, 1997 D. Nanaj 24 Kallmet Goats feeding in winter December 10, 1997 D. Nanaj 44 Alarup Pigs feeding in winter December 16, 1997 D. Nanaj 23 Trashan Pigs feeding in winter December 16, 1997 D. Nanaj 26 Kallmet Artificial Insemination April 15-21, 1998 ABC 10 APFDP, Sauk/Tirana Kids management June 22, 1998 Fejzo Bega 23 Alarup, Pogradec Chios sheep mgt. June 25, 1998 Daut Nanaj 16 Stropska, Pogradec
56 Workshop/Round Table
Events Date Trainer/Facilitator Number of Venue Participant s
1° Strategic Workshop 11-13.12.1995 John Cann 52 Rogner Hotel 2° Strategic Workshop 14 - 15.11.1996 V.Ylli/A.Golemi 64 Tirana Int. Hotel District Orientation 03.03/26.04/05.07/ V.Ylli/Th.Lako 24/23/21 Lezhe,Vlore,Pogradec Forestry Policy 1996 Garth Pollock 29 Chateau Linza 21-22.06.1996
Refused Lands roundta. 19.07.1996 James Seyler 14 APFDP Refused Lands I wshop. 04.09.1996 Jeff Saussier 35 Chateau Linza Refused Lands II wshop. 30.10.1996 Kole Cara 28 Berlini restaurant
Communal Forest Communal Forest 03.12.1996 V.Ylli 11 APFDP 19.12.1996 Th.Lako/V.Muharremi 14 Lezhe Silvo Pastoral Mgt. 29.01.1997 L.Hajno 24 APFDP Extension service 07.02.1997 V.Ylli 11 APFDP Forest Decentralization 14.05.1997 Th. Lako/V. Muharremi 27 Ballkani Hotel
Restitution of Forest... Th.Lako/V.Muharremi 12-13.06.1997 28 Ballkani Hotel Forest Strategy prepar. V. Ylli 13.07.1997 13 APFDP Willow workshop A. Gani October 30, 1997 12 APFDP Forest Strategy K. Malaj, V.Ylli, December 4-5, 1997 K.Dano, K.Selimi, 84 Chateau Linza K.Hasimi, H.Hasko, F.Mariani Shengjergj Silvo - L. Hajno, A. Vendresha pastoral , round table March 27, 1998 17 APFDP office
Workshop/Round Table
Events Date Trainer/Facilitator Number of Venue Participant s
Group/association/ April 14, 1998 Valbona Ylli 10 APFDP office network , guideline - round table
Private Forest Owners - May 20, 1998 Thimaq Lako, Valbona 18 APFDP office Round Table Ylli
Willow round table June 8, 1998 Anila Gani 14 APFDP office
Community Forest February 19, 1998 J. Saussier, 41 Lezhe Transfer V. Muharremi, Sh. Ohri
57