A VILLAGE GUESTHOUSE IN BULQIZË. ERALD LAMJA FOR USAID.

PLANNING AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROJECT IN ALBANIA WOMEN, PEACE & SECURITY (WPS): Gender-Sensitive Value Chain Analysis in the Municipality of Bulqizë

SEPTEMBER 2019

PLANNING AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROJECT IN ALBANIA WOMEN, PEACE & SECURITY (WPS) Gender-Sensitive Value Chain Analysis in the Municipality of Bulqizë

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 2 PREPARED FOR THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, USAID CONTRACT NUMBER AID-182-C-12-00001, ALBANIA PLANNING AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROJECT (PLGP).

THE GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË WAS CONDUCTED BY CREATIVE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS (CBS) IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE USAID PLANNING AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROJECT (PLGP) / WOMEN, PEACE & SECURITY (WPS).

CBS WORKING GROUP: LIANA SULEYMANOVA; ELJO MUCAJ; ALIS MUSTAFA; ERGENT PIRE; ENI ALMETA; PRANVERA GUXHO PLGP INTERNATIONAL EXPERTISE: GRANIA MACKIE - EXPERT IN GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS

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GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Tables ...... 5

List of Figures ...... 5

List of Abbreviations ...... 6

Rationale ...... 7

Methodology ...... 7 Method / Approach ...... 7 Methodology: Sector Selection ...... 8 Methodology: Research Limitations ...... 9

Context ...... 11 National Context on Gender Equality ...... 11 Bulqizë: General Background ...... 12

Value Chain Analysis ...... 18 General Evaluation Based on Criteria/ SWOT Analysis ...... 18 Map of the Selected VC ...... 23 Market System of the Selected VCs ...... 25 Supporting Functions and Rules ...... 26 Research Findings & Opportunities for Women Empowerment in the Selected VC ...... 29

Action plan ...... 31 Suggested Intervention Recommendations for the Municipality of Bulqizë ...... 31

Bibliography ...... 33

Annexes ...... 33 List of Surveys ...... 33

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 4 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Population and number of families in the Municipality of Bulqizë ...... 12 Table 2. Monuments in Municipality of Bulqizë ...... 15 Table 3. Ranking and selection of value chains using Gender-Sensitive Criteria: Municipality of Bulqizë ...... 18 Table 4. Assessment of women’s empowerment and gender equality in the MAPs Value Chain ...... 19 Table 5. Assessment of women’s empowerment and gender equality in the Agritourism Value Chain ...... 20 Table 6. SWOT analysis of the MAPs Value Chain ...... 22 Table 7. SWOT analysis of the Agritourism Value Chain ...... 22 Table 8. Recommendations for Agritourism Value Chain ...... 31

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Methodological Approach ...... 8 Figure 2. Pre-identified Value Chains from the desk research ...... 14 Figure 3. Identified Value Chains ...... 17 Figure 4. Mapping of Agritourism Value Chain ...... 23 Figure 5. Illustration of the Agritourism supply ...... 24 Figure 6. Agritourism market system – Municipality of Bulqizë ...... 26 Figure 7. Opportunities of the Agritourism Value Chain ...... 29 Figure 8. Constraints of the Agritourism Value Chain ...... 30

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 5 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ARDA - Agriculture Rural Development Agency ALCDF - Albanian Local Capacity Development Foundation ATTCs - Agriculture Technology Transfer Centers AU - Administrative Unit BDS - Business Development Service CBS - Creative Business Solutions CEMR - Council of European Municipalities and Regions DCM - Decision of Council of Ministers GoA - Government of Albania GSVCA - Gender-Sensitive Value Chain Analysis GIZ - German International Development Agency HACCP - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point standard IPARD - Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance for Rural Development in Albania ISO - International Organization for Standardization MARD - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development MAPs - Medicinal and Aromatic Plants NGO - Non-governmental Organization NSAPGE - National Strategy and Action Plan on Gender Equality OPLD - Operational Plan for Local Development PLGP - Planning and Local Governance Project USAID - United States Agency for International Development VC - Value Chain WPS - Women, Peace & Security

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 6 RATIONALE The goal of the Planning and Local Governance Project’s (PLGP) Women, Peace & Security (WPS) activities is to build community resiliency and sustainability through activities that will contribute to the prevention of social exclusion, violent extremism, radicalization, marginalization, recruitment and conflict with a primary focus on women and girls as robust agents of peace and stability through a two-pronged, bottom-up implementation approach, while also strengthening host country capacity to perform these activities at the local, national, and regional levels. The project recognizes the importance of gender equality for sustainable economic and social development and women’s roles in building community resiliency and sustainability. This activity (under Component 3 of the PGLP project) is embedded in: 1. The project objectives of preventing and countering violent extremism, and supporting the social, economic, and political opportunities of women and girls in 6 municipalities1. 2. The project objective of pursuing economic inclusion activities for women through value chain analyses on selected value chains to identify opportunities for upgrading and diversification, the needs of those most vulnerable at specific stages within it, thereby improving market access for women in the (often informal) economy. This assignment speaks directly to these objectives by supporting the economic empowerment of women and promoting gender equality at the same time as upgrading in selected value chains (VCs) in the Municipality of Bulqizë. The activity supports the capacity building of local value chain actors and support functions to be able to better sustain gender-sensitive value chain development.

METHODOLOGY

METHOD / APPROACH The study was conducted by Creative Business Solutions (CBS) with the support of the PLGP Expert in Gender-Sensitive Value Chain Analysis, Grania Mackie, in the framework of the PLGP project and its main objective was to first, identify the main sectors (tourism and agriculture) in the Municipality of Bulqizë, presenting opportunities for economic growth and development, as well as evaluate the women’s involvement in the processes and their chances of empowerment, and second, to narrow down to the value chains with the most potential for development, as well as giving recommendations about specific measures that would increase women’s role and eliminate gender biased initiatives. The methodology used is a qualitative one, combining both secondary and primary sources. Secondary sources include the consideration of different reports and data which were mainly gathered from official publications and statistics of the Institute of Statistics in Albania, Municipalities reports, Regional Councils reports, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Tourism and Environment, as well as data and information obtained from previous studies and projects conducted in the relevant field. Municipality reports, (mainly Strategic and Operational Plans, i.e. “Operational Plan of Local Development – Municipality of Bulqizë (STAR Project)”, was especially valuable in understanding the general economic structure of the area, and municipal vision for ensuring sustainable economic development. During the subsequent evaluation of the value chains in the agriculture sector, the methodologies considered were “Market and value chain analysis of selected sectors in Albania for diversification of the rural economy and women’s economic empowerment” (FAO 2018), and “Chapter 4: Value Chain Mapping Tool” and “Module 11: Sustainable Value Chains” (GIZ) served as a reference during the designing of the value chain mapping.

1 Bulqizë, Cërrik, Kamëz, Librazhd, Dibër, and Pogradec.

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 7 METHODOLOGY: SECTOR SELECTION Primary sources, i.e. field research was used for the sector selection, including group consultations and brainstorming sessions with the municipality representatives, producers and experts and this step was divided into two phases. In the first phase, preliminary assessment of the value chains took place, having discussions and meetings with the municipality representatives, producers, participants from supporting organizations, and the project’s field coordinators, to identify the opportunities of the value chains. This phase was concluded with the organization of a Working Group session, during which participants had the chance to bring up additional details, opportunities, constraints and get a clear view and understanding of the value chains and during which the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) and Agritourism value chains emerged as the primary focus areas. It is important to note that in the case of Bulqizë, the majority of the participants were members of the Bulqizë Youth Board (especially young women) due to the fact that the goal of the exercise in this specific municipality was different from the other five (Librazhd, Dibër, Pogradec, Cërrik, and Kamëz). The participants of the Working Group actively contributed to the identification of all the moving parts of the value chain’s market system and also discussed the constraints/ stakeholders/ women’s role in different parts of the process. The goal of the exercise for Bulqizë was not only to look for intervention scenarios that would affect women’s livelihoods but to look for scenarios to engage more youth (especially young women) in the value chains identified as having the most potential and to empower these young people in the process. In the second phase, on-site visits, observation of the activities, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with tailored questionnaires for different actors in the value chain were conducted, specifically: with a male guest-house owner in the Municipality of Bulqizë and with other participants in the agritourism and MAPs value chains.

Figure 1. Methodological Approach

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 8 Overall, the process followed these steps: 1. Objectives & Target Group: Establishment of objectives based on national and municipal goals (i.e. Improving livelihoods and promoting gender equality) and definition of the target group and criteria of selection: a. Target group: Low-income women and men at a municipal level; b. Criteria: the importance of the sector in creating livelihoods for women and men. 2. Municipal Scope: The initial municipal scoping and desk research, based on plans, strategies, previous studies, etc.; 3. Main sectors: The identification of the main sectors through the assessment of different reports, data, and publications; 4. Working Group Session: Capacity building of practitioners in gender-sensitive value chain analysis to ensure a common understanding of rationale and processes in the form of a Working Group session; 5. VC Evaluation: Evaluation of the main value chains belonging to the sectors selected through brainstorming, discussions, focus-groups; 6. VC Selection: Selection of one to two main value chains and assessment of opportunities, constraints and areas of interventions through field research; 7. Recommendations: Provision of recommendations on the improvement of the value chain for the municipality and on the intervention options for the PLGP project.

METHODOLOGY: RESEARCH LIMITATIONS The focus of the present study is the practical analysis of the main value chains in the Municipality of Bulqizë, looked through a gender lens. One of the biggest problems that arose in the course of this research is the scarcity of secondary sources (other GSVCA analyses). The majority of value chain studies available on Albania represent a more straightforward local economic development analysis rather than assessment with the focus on women’s livelihoods. This study will attempt to fill the existing gap in the literature on the topic. Conceptually, implementing gender-sensitive value chain analyses can sometimes be problematic. The research findings are often general and depending on the goal (improving women’s livelihoods or otherwise, empowering women), it can lead to the intervention scenarios that aim at economic development rather than on improving the situation of women per se. The goal of this study is therefore to provide the Municipality of Bulqizë as well as the PLGP project with practical recommendations that affect the population of the selected municipality as a whole (with a specific focus on the young people in the municipality) that would consequently lead to the betterment of the conditions of women in the municipality (especially young women). The Working Group session as well as the interviews conducted represent the sample size of the study and might be considered too small (the assignment length – about 1 month). However, the use of municipal strategic documents, as well as the research on the ground, supported the hypothesis that the trends observed could be considered representative of groups of people to whom results will be generalized or transferred. Additionally, in Bulqizë, each of the value chains examined had a very small number of businesses involved (had limited capacities) and the MAP sector in the municipality is underdeveloped. However, specifically in Bulqizë case, the research findings signify that the MAP VC would become more important in the future (since it was historically so as well as due to some nation- wide efforts to support the sector), especially having the example of Bulqizë’s close neighbor – Dibër as a reference point. Another limitation that can be noted is the fact that when it comes to the term agritourism/ agrotourism, there exists a variety of definitions some of which are very broad and see agritourism as a sector (combining tourism and agriculture) rather than a value chain. However, for the purpose of the present

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 9 study, agritourism is analyzed as a value chain (adapted from the Decision of Council of Ministers of Albania Nr. 22 from 12.01.2018 for an agricultural holding to be granted an agritourism unit status), is defined as an existing agricultural holding (a farm) that offers on-site accommodation (guesthouse), and/ or serving authentic food and drinks coming from the farm and/or on-farm agriculture-related activities that are open to public (tourists). Lastly, there is a lack of reliable statistical data when it comes to the Albanian case. Due to the high degree of informality in the sector and the conflicting methodology when it comes to the statistical estimations used by local authorities and INSTAT, the results of the desk research (when it comes to main sectors/ value chains) often were not identical coincide with the results obtained during the working group session and interviews with stakeholders. Additionally, most of the data available is not segregated by gender.

“AGROTURIZËM HUPI” IN BULQIZË. ERALD LAMJA FOR USAID

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 10 CONTEXT

NATIONAL CONTEXT ON GENDER EQUALITY Albania has developed a solid legal and institutional framework to promote gender equality and protection of women’s rights, for example: • The Albanian Constitution adopted in 1998 provides for and guarantees equality between men and women and the policy on equal opportunities and the prohibition of discrimination, among other causes, based on gender. (Article18). • The Law “On Gender Equality” was adopted in 2008. This law regulates the fundamental principles of gender equality, by requiring equal participation of women and men in all areas of life, equal status between women and men, equal opportunities and chances to enjoy rights and fulfill obligations in society and obtain equal benefits from their achievements and developments. The law defines “gender-based discrimination” (Article 11) • The Law “On Protection from Discrimination” was adopted in 2010. According to this law, no one shall discriminate on any ground such as gender, race, color, ethnicity, language, gender identity, sexual orientation, political, religious or philosophical beliefs, economic, educational or social status, pregnancy, family affiliation, parental responsibility, age, family or marital status, civil status, place of residence, health status, genetic predisposition, disability, affiliation to a particular group or any other cause. • The National Strategy and Action Plan on Gender Equality (NSAPGE) adopted in 2016, where efforts are targeted at society of equal opportunities and free of violence, in which: needs of women and men are taken into consideration and addressed equally; women are respected, protected, promoted and supported to progress equally to men. Particularly relevant to this activity is Strategic Goal 1 of the NSAPGE: Economic empowerment of women and men. At a local level, promoting inclusion and equality is a component of legal and policy frameworks, which underline the obligations of local government units in the area of gender equality (UN Women, 2019). For example, the Law “On Gender Equality” elaborates on the need for promoting gender equality in local governance. Special units that are responsible for the presentation, supervision and monitoring of performance and service, including gender equality. Efforts have been made by several municipalities to meet the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) regulations and EU standards, with a clear structure, priorities, responsibilities, and budgets that respond to the needs of women, men, girls and boys equally (UN Women, 2018). As a result of proactive laws, policies, and prams, Albania has seen improvements in many aspects of gender equality, for example, in women’s role in private sector development. In comparison to 2016, the percentage of enterprises owned or run by women in 2017 has increased in all regions of Albania. However, successful decentralization and implementation of legal and development frameworks is still challenging, and the pace of change in women’s economic empowerment through private sector development is slow, especially for rural women. Gender norms, roles, responsibilities and gender bias in women’s access to productive resources (such as land, finance, networks, technology, and equipment) and business services means that there is still not a level playing field for women and men in economic and social spheres. Some impacts of gender bias visible in Albania in economic empowerment through enterprise development are for example: • In Albania, women own or manage only 28.5 percent of all enterprises, many of which are under-capitalized small and medium enterprises in highly informal lower value-added sectors (UN Women, n.d.). • Women are over-represented in Albania’s informal economy and as unpaid family workers in businesses and on farms. Over 50 percent of Albanian women work in agriculture – 87 percent

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 11 of them in unpaid family jobs. Many rural women are not covered by basic social and enterprise services (FAO, 2018). • In Albania, more than 80 percent of the land titles are in the name of the ‘head of household’ or former head of household (father-in-law, father or grandfather). Women rural areas have limited information on land, access to extension services and perceive high levels of inequality in family decision-making and land rights compared with male members of the family (Zhllima, Edvin et al., 2016). As a rural area, Bulqizë reflects the overall situation of rural women in Albania. Women play an important role in agriculture and rural development in Albania making up a significant share of the agriculture workforce, although in most cases informal. The agricultural sector in Albania employs more than 54 percent of all economically active women, 87 percent of whom work as informal or family workers (FAO, 2016 b). Female farm managers represent only 6.47 percent of the total number of farm managers. Although male and female farmworkers are quite comparable in number in the rural areas (224,639 male and 267,098 female), there is a large difference between men and women in terms of non-farm labor (UNDP, 2016). In family farming, there is a rigid gender-based distribution of tasks. Male gender roles are associated with tasks that involve control over agricultural assets, mobility and decision-making and female gender roles are associated with manual work in agriculture and livestock, including pre-harvest and post-harvest activities, food processing and household tasks. This distribution of labor has resulted in women's limited access to, and control over, agricultural assets and decision-making. Additionally, their access to extension service is very limited, only 10 percent of beneficiaries of extension services are women (FAO, 2016b). Enabling agriculture business growth and fostering overall sector development would create better opportunities for women in rural areas and better chances for their economic empowerment.

BULQIZË: GENERAL BACKGROUND The Municipality of Bulqizë is located in the north center part of Albania, is part of Dibër region and is composed by 8 administrative units, namely: Bulqizë, Martanesh, Fushë-Bulqizë, Zerqan, Gjoricë, Ostren, and Trebisht. The total population of this municipality based on the 2011 Census is 31,210 inhabitants, while according to Civil Register the population is 40,835 inhabitants. The total area is 678.51 km2. According to the Observatory/UNICEF report for Children’s Rights in 2016 (UNICEF 2016), the population and number of families for each administrative unit in 2014 (data from General Directorate of Civil Registry), is presented in the table below:

TABLE 1. POPULATION AND NUMBER OF FAMILIES IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË

ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS POPULATION NO. OF FAMILIES Bulqizë 12,307 3,421 Martanesh 2,379 738 Fushe-Bulqizë 4,011 1,103 Zerqan 5,127 1,463 Gjoricë 5,348 1,449 Ostren 4,102 1,382

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 12 Shupenzë 6,904 1,779 In almost 8 percent of the cases, the family is composed of a single mother with children, according to the Institute of Statistics of Albania (INSTAT). Bulqizë2 is situated in a valley 25 km long and 1 km wide. The town is in the middle of the national road connecting Burrel and Peshkopi, the main town of the Dibër region approximately one hour from Bulqizë. Because of internal migration and immigration, consequent low economic opportunities outside of mining and lower quality of life (than in Peshkopi or Tirana, or outside Albania), the population has decreased at a rate of 27.36 percent in the last decades. Water and electricity are generally reliable in Bulqizë, with few and short breaks. The town’s public infrastructure and layout are not attractive or conducive to social life. For civic pride and community activities, there is one local football team. The territory of Bulqizë is very rich with underground water resources, forests, and medicinal plants. However, the main economic resource is the chrome industry. Because of the type of work offered, which traditionally takes such jobs in the formal economy, and the changing expectations of the youth, the level of unemployment of women and youth is particularly high. It is worth mentioning that despite the cultural barriers in the area, women have been involved in agriculture and tourism, and their contribution is important for these sectors. During communism, women were involved in mining, trade, social and health services, education, agriculture, etc. There are 746 businesses operating in the municipality of Bulqizë, of which 583 are small and 163 are considered large3. Although the area of agricultural land in the entire municipality of Bulqizë is 8,050 hectares, there are no farms registered in this municipality. According to the Operational Plan for Local Development (OPLD) (Municipality of Bulqizë, 2016), about 37.4 percent of women are unemployed, meanwhile, unemployment among young people aged 15-24 is as high as 64.3 percent. In 2015, 2,207 households in Bulqizë or 37.3 percent of the total number of the population were accessing

2 Excerpt from PLGP study: Municipality of Bulqizë Mapping Assessment, 2018. Unpublished 3 Small businesses are considered those that have an annual turnover of under 8 million ALL. Medium and large businesses are those that have an annual turnover over 8 million ALL. (PLGP report, Municipality of Bulqizë Mapping Assessment)

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 13 economic aid. The total number of households benefiting from economic aid is 1,999 families or 9,104 individuals. As a result of GoA reform on economic aid, 1,060 families were excluded from this support (March 2018) causing some social tensions. Many people noted that even if there are large companies and investments, on average the population is poor4. Also, there are 720 registered disabled persons and only one hospital in the town of Bulqizë. On the other hand, only one of the seven administrative units have a healthcare center, apart from the city of Bulqizë, which has two. A total of 12 doctors and 112 nurses are employed in the healthcare facilities of Bulqizë. The main value chains identified for this municipality during the desk research and based on the Value Chains from CBS’s Assessment Report of the 6 Municipalities are: • Agritourism: Guesthouses, farm stays, farm tours, Cultural heritage, Natural monuments, outdoor recreation; • Agriculture and Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs); • Livestock; • Mining.

Figure 2. Pre-identified Value Chains from the desk research

AGRITOURISM There is potential to develop Agritourism in Bulqizë due to its landscape, forests, and varied natural assets, including water. The area is visited more often in summertime, as in other seasons the roads become difficult and sometimes impossible to pass. The Apple Festival is one of the major cultural activities of the area, in which “Ballenja” and “Gjorica” celebrations attract tourists. Adventure tourism is an opportunity to be explored for future economic development of the area. The GoA has recently approved the list of 100 touristic villages to be supported by the Government in the next four years. Bulqizë’s village of Zerqan is one of them5. In the Municipality of Bulqizë old dwellings easily transformable into guesthouses for agritourism purposes are numerous. They provide great potential to develop the sector and ensure a better inclusion and empowerment of women. Agritourism is a sector with many interconnected value chains, and in small underdeveloped areas such as Bulqizë, its development can provide multiple positive developments in other sectors, thus providing a more balanced economic growth. According to the data of the Ministry of Environment on the Protected Area Network, there are two very important environmental and tourist areas in the Municipality of Bulqizë: Shebenik-Jabllanicë, an area of 167.6 ha, and Mali me Gropa-Bizë-Martanesh, an area of 9,036 ha. Also, there are several geo-

4 According to the World Bank (http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/albania/overview ), since 2008, Albania grew from the poorest nation in Europe to middle-income status. The same source indicates that 33.9 percent of the population were below the poverty rate ($5/day) in 2016 5 PLGP Study: Municipality of Bulqizë Mapping Assessment, 2018. Unpublished

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 14 monuments such as caves, stones, rocks, pits, etc., declared as natural monuments. In this area, there is a total number of 17 natural monuments6. Based on the Operational Plan for Local Development (OPLD) (Municipality of Bulqizë, 2016), the monuments of this municipality are presented in the table below:

TABLE 2. MONUMENTS IN MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË NATURAL MONUMENTS GEO-MONUMENTS CULTURAL MONUMENTS The Black Drin valley, The cave of City Bridge, The masjid of Bllacë, The Highland of Prati, The City rock, The masjid of father Shehut (Boçevë), Pllaja e Peladhit, Xixëll Martanesh, The church of Kovashicës, Homeshi Mountain, The cave of Cold Gjuras, The mosque of Vleshë, Hurdhat e Bllacës, Delgjurra, The cave of Xixëlles (Valikardhë), The tower of Krajkave, The Black lake, Hidromonuments: The field of the caste, The White Lake, Three taps of Zerqan, The church of Kaziaku, The Great grove, The falls of Duriçi, The top of cemeteris (Sofraçan), The Brook of Bulqiza, Gurra e Vakëfit të Zerqanit, The fence of Gurrës, The Black lake Black Drin, Biomonuments: The monument of creation of partizan Brook of Okshtunit, The coast of Pepesë, battalion, Ramnagores Mountain, Qarri i Muharremit, The monument of Mane Kazani, Qarri i Kovashicës, The monument of Tercilio Kardinalit, Qarri i Gjinovecit The Zogje forest, The tower of Markëve, Qarri Peladhi, The tower of Kurteve(Shupenzë). The Great Brook of Zerqan (small forest without trees),

Tourism development is mainly related to mountain tourism. The area is visited mostly during the summer season, as in other seasons, the roads become impossible to pass. The cultural activities that take place each year as Festa e Mollës (Apple fest), Festa e Ballenjës (Ballenja fest) and Festa e Gjoricës (Gjorica fest) attract the attention of tourists.

AGRICULTURE Based on the OPLD publication (Municipality of Bulqizë, 2016), Bulqizë’s economic development is oriented towards the agriculture, livestock, and mining industry. Regarding agriculture, it is organized in small family farms, the area of arable land is small, fragmented and the ground is steep. The area has a favorable climate for the development of the cereals, fodder, fruit trees, vineyards, nuts, etc. In some former units, it is interesting to promote the inhabitants of the commune for collecting and collecting chestnut and nuts products. There are many beekeepers in Bulqizë, who have between 100 to 300 hives, with which they produce the honey of the area, from the flowers of the fields or chestnuts. The area is rich in medicinal plants. Before the ‘90s, there was a center for medicinal plant collection in Shupenzë, and today inhabitants that collect these herbs do not have a guaranteed consolidation center7. Albania has a great youth employment potential considering that the country has the second youngest population in Europe. Despite its potential, agriculture remains a non-attractive business for young people; even though the sector employs almost half of the population. The Albanian youth consider agriculture as ‘old fashion’ and have steadily been migrating to urban centers for more opportunities. The agro-businesses generally are run by older family members who lack modern techniques on how

6 CBS’s Assessment Report of the 6 Municipalities. 7 CBS’s Assessment Report of the 6 Municipalities.

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 15 to run a business. Mostly they miss sales and financing opportunities due to reluctance of using the technology. New funding availability and a shift in government focus have put a new focus on a sector with increasing potential. According to the official Labor Force Survey over the year 2018, based on the estimates labor force was 1,222,594 persons, and the official unemployment rate for the age-group 15-64 years old, in 2018 was 12.3 percent. In the first quarter of 2019, this rate is decreased in 12.1 percent. INSTAT’s publication of 2019 shows that the unemployment rate for the youth 15-29 years old was 22.2 percent (22.4 percent for males and 21.9 percent for females). The youth unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points compared to the previous year. Employment increased in services with 0.8 percent, in industry with 1.1 percent while remained at the same level in the agriculture sector. Still, further total employment was dominated by the agricultural sector 37.4 percent being clear the high potential and impact that Albanian agriculture has. For the year 2018 according to the same source ‘Employment by sex and economic activity’ shows over total employment that agriculture employees 42.3 percent women and 33.5 percent men.

LIVESTOCK The natural conditions of the municipality favor the raising of sheep, goats, cattle. and bees. In some administrative units, livestock farming is the main activity of the economy, especially in Trebisht and Ostren. There are 4 farms identified in the Municipality of Bulqizë that operate in the agriculture sector and 6 that operate in the livestock sector.

MINING The mining industry is the main economic branch in two administrative units: Bulqizë and Martanesh. There are 119 subjects that operate in this activity. The total quantity of chromium mineral reserves in the Bulqizë-Batër massive is 10,080,507 tons. The biggest is the Bulqizë mine, with 41 percent of reserves. Almost 28.7 percent of inhabitants are employed in the industry sector. In the publication of AIDA (AIDA), is denoted an estimated geological reserve volume of 12 million tons of Chromium ore located in Bulqizë and Lura, with more than 38 percent Cr2O38. All key sectors in the municipality were initially reviewed using gender-sensitive value chain analysis (GSVCA) criteria: • Is there a growing demand for the product? • Are women involved in the steps of the chain? • Are most steps of the chain based in the municipality? • Are there existing or recent past initiatives to build on in the value chain? • Are there opportunities in developing the chain? • Is there a link between what women are doing and prospects for growth/diversification in the value chain? The main sectors that came out as having the most potential for improving the livelihoods of women, promoting gender equality and value chain development were identified as follows: • Medicinal Aromatic Plants (MAPs); • Agritourism.

8 CBS’s Assessment Report of the 6 Municipalities.

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 16

Figure 3. Identified Value Chains In both sectors, there are good opportunities for women’s empowerment. What women are doing and are willing to develop their skills on promises good prospects for growth. Agritourism development can improve the livelihoods of women not only in the agritourism sector but across other interconnected value chains. While the area is rich in wild herbs and spices which are in high demand domestically and internationally, it is also an activity with low barriers to entry for women and youth. Despite the cultural barriers, local women and their families in Bulqizë are known for their old tradition of hospitality, with some good interventions in agritourism local population can start doing business with their old traditions. The sections below provide a detailed analysis of the selection criteria used in selecting the value chain with the most potential in the Municipality of Bulqizë.

“PETULLA” TRADITIONAL FOOD IN BULQIZË. ERALD LAMJA FOR USAID

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 17 VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS

GENERAL EVALUATION BASED ON CRITERIA/ SWOT ANALYSIS During the Working Group session on August 8, 2019, participants were divided into large groups, based on the potential value chains identified for Municipality of Bulqizë after the group discussion. For each identified group, two value chains were ranked as the ones with most potential in Bulqizë (Medicinal Aromatic Plants and Agritourism), and a detailed evaluation took place based on some pre- defined criteria (as presented in section 4). The value chains were assessed and then discussions and suggestions led to further narrowing of the problems, constraints, possible solutions, etc.

TABLE 3. RANKING AND SELECTION OF VALUE CHAINS USING GENDER-SENSITIVE CRITERIA: MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË

CRITERIA MEDICIANL AROMATIC PLANS (MAPS) AGRITOURISM

Is there a link between Currently, women are involved in wild Women are involved and can be involved what women are doing picking and drying of MAPs. However, the in different processes of an agritourism and prospects for sector is underdeveloped and needs strategic business. With improved skills and growth/ diversification in intervention to promote growth and knowledge women can drive growth in the value chain? diversification. the agritourism sector.

Do women have (or can Women do have some basic Women do have some very good skills they acquire) the skills picking/harvesting skills. However post- and experience in cooking traditional needed for value addition harvest skills are very low, resulting in high dishes which are highly preferred by through processing or losses. There is a need to promote the sector international tourists. However, they are product diversification? as a remunerative business especially for willing to learn about agritourism young women and men. management, hospitality aspects, basic English, tour guides and other agritourism related skills.

Does this value chain The sector offers good opportunities for Agritourism VC offers great opportunities offer new opportunities women’s economic empowerment, but large for women in Bulqizë. There are several for women? investments are required to move the sector dwellings easily transformable into forward. guesthouses. This would open up employment opportunities for women (traditional dishes, farm tours, etc).

Can the chain improve The MAPs VC has improved the livelihood Agritourism has been widely recognized livelihood conditions for conditions of many families across Albania. In as an important diversification strategy for women/families? Bulqizë the sector has the power to do so, rural areas. In Bulqizë, agritourism but until know is fairly developed and some development can increase farm sales and important VC actors are missing at the local add value to the agro products by level. increasing household incomes and promoting the role of women.

Is there a motivated There is no local organization to represent Agritourism in the Municipality of Bulqizë organization in the value the VC actors and move the sector forward. is an emerging sector but with great chain that can support/ Also, the National Association of Medicinal potentials, if appropriate actions are represent value chain and Aromatic plants have paid little focus to taken. There are some local players with actors that can move the area due to the small scale picking and real interest in the sector development, forward development? underdeveloped cultivation. but no structured organization exists locally to represent the sector.

Is there an opportunity to MAPs VC in Bulqizë despite the potentials During the focus group, the participants make changes with small already mentioned has a lot of constraints to revealed the increasing number of tourists investments? growth. The lack of local collection centers is visiting Bulqizë but passing the night in a constant threat to the market access. Micro Dibër due to the lack of accommodation changes can become with small investments capacities in the area. As previously

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 18 but without some big investments in local mentioned, there are several of old collection points and development of the dwellings in Bulqizë which can be easily BSPs sector, the interventions might result transformed into guesthouses with small non-viable. reconstruction investments. Also, tourist trails to touristic attractions can help to increase the flow of tourists, thus the sale incomes of agritourism.

The assessment of women empowerment and gender equality in the selected value chains, opportunities in the value chains, as well as the SWOT analysis for Medicinal Aromatic Plants (MAPs) VC and Agritourism VC are presented below.

TABLE 4. ASSESSMENT OF WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND GENDER EQUALITY IN THE MAPS VALUE CHAIN

QUESTIONS SCORE* WEIGHT TOTAL NARRATIVE

Is the share of women 3 2 6 Women are involved in wild picking and drying employed in the value activities. Involvement is usually informal, as part of the chain relatively high? family activity in picking, drying and selling the herbs.

Are there many female 0 2 0 In the Municipality of Bulqizë, there are no women entrepreneurs in the entrepreneurs in the MAPs VC. value chain?

Do women control 3 2 6 Assets and equipment are controlled by the family and equipment and assets? both men and women have the same access.

Do women have (or can 3 1 3 Women have basic picking and drying skills, however, they acquire) the skills there is a high will to acquire knowledge and skills on needed for interesting proper picking and cultivation techniques, appropriate value addition through drying and storing, as well as marketing skills. processing or product diversification?

Do women control the 3 2 3 Family incomes are usually managed by men, but the sales income and the decision is taken on a family consensus. enterprise?

Can the work take place 3 1 3 Wild picking takes place in the mountains, usually far close to home? from home. However, cultivation and drying can take place close to home.

Is this a value chain with 3 1 3 Depending on where in the value chain women want to low entry barriers for enter there are different barriers to enter. To start a poor entrepreneurs small family business on picking, drying and selling (small scale of production, MAPs, would require the proper skills, some drying low start-up costs, not space and linkages to sell. While becoming a regional requiring major capital collector requires investment in drying and storing investment, using low- facilities, processing technologies, and transport tech skills)? vehicles.

Is this a value chain with 2 2 4 There is a cultural constraint for women to enter the low entry barriers for VCs by owning or being the manager of the business, women (time and this is usually a men domain. mobility, access to technology and assets, cultural constraints)?

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 19 Does this value chain 3 4 12 Women can be involved in various steps and activities offer new opportunities in the value chain. Cultivation, picking, drying, storing, for women? packing, marketing and sales. This would require the acquisition of new skills, combined with some investments to start up.

Is the activity in the value 3 2 6 MAPs activity can provide good incomes for the chain in line with population in the Municipality of Bulqizë, especially for livelihood conditions women. It is a good opportunity for self-employment. (year-round income, using But attention should be paid to proper picking practices family labor, rapid to preserve biodiversity. returns, keeping the environment intact?

Is there a linkage between 4 1 4 Currently, women are involved in wild picking and what women are doing drying of MAPs. However, the sector is underdeveloped and prospects for and needs strategic intervention to promote growth growth/diversification in and diversification. So, what women are doing alone, the value chain? will not bring any bigger growth prospect.

Are there gender norms 3 2 6 Housekeeping and taking care of children is time- (for example stuck in consuming for women, however, they are willing to ‘women’s work’) that participate in the VC with their contribution. prevent women from taking full advantage of value chain opportunities?

Overall total for 54/102 gender potential

* Score: 0 (very low, no, not at all) to 5 (very high, yes, very important).

TABLE 5.ASSESSMENT OF WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND GENDER EQUALITY IN THE AGRITOURISM VALUE CHAIN

QUESTIONS SCORE* WEIGHT TOTAL NARRATIVE

Is the share of women 5 2 10 In agritourism, women are involved in many processes employed in the value (cooking, farm tours, hospitality, etc.). Hupi chain relatively high? Guesthouse, one of the most renowned agritourism units in the area has employed 4 people, out of which 3 are women.

Are there many female 1 2 2 Entrepreneurship is still a domain of men due to entrepreneurs in the cultural and mentality constraints. However, the value chain? situation is changing, also grant programs give a higher priority to women entrepreneurs, which very soon is expected to result in new agritourism businesses led by women.

Do women control 4 2 8 Equipment and assets are under the ownership of men equipment and assets? of the household, however, women have access and control over assets.

Do women have (or can 4 1 4 Women are becoming increasingly aware of the they acquire) the skills importance of diversifying the family farm by adding needed for interesting agritourism component. There is a high will to learn value addition through about agritourism management, proper hospitality, processing or product English language skills, farm tours, off-farm tours in diversification? attractive areas around, etc.

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 20 Do women control the 3 2 6 Incomes are controlled and managed in consensus sales income and the between family members. enterprise?

Can the work take place 5 1 5 Yes. Usually, old dwellings are close to the houses close to home? where families live, and many times is the same building with two floors or separated spaces for tourists and family. So, accommodation and food activities are very close to home.

Is this a value chain with 4 1 4 There are relatively low entry barriers in the value low entry barriers for chain. Start-up costs are low. Based on different studies poor entrepreneurs and assessments transforming an old dwelling into a (small scale of production, greenhouse with traditional architecture would require low start-up costs, not about Euro 10-20 thousand. Given the grant requiring major capital opportunities available, this investment becomes investment, using low- affordable for many rural households in the Municipality tech skills)? of Bulqizë. Also, the business can start with low tech skills and small-scale production.

Is this a value chain with 4 2 8 There are no binding constraints to prevent women low entry barriers for from entering the VC. Women are involved in daily women (time and farming activities, traditional cooking for the family and mobility, access to tourists, and other activities. technology and assets, cultural constraints)?

Does this value chain 4 4 16 The tourism component added to a family farm creates offer new opportunities a lot of opportunities for higher involvement of women for women? in different processes. With the proper skills and knowledge, women can play an important role in the family agritourism business.

Is the activity in the value 4 2 8 Agritourism activity is considered as a diversification chain in line with activity for farms; so, in times of low agriculture sales, livelihood conditions farms can offset the effect with accommodation and (year-round income, using food services for tourists. Agritourism can provide family labor, rapid good incomes for households during most time of the returns, keeping the year, expect the winter season when due to heavy environment intact? snow many roads are blocked, and the temperature is very low. Agritourism is usually a family activity, however, opportunities for employment exist.

Is there a linkage between 4 1 4 Women are involved and can be involved in different what women are doing processes of an agritourism business. With improved and prospects for skills and knowledge women can drive growth in the growth/diversification in agritourism sector. the value chain?

Are there gender norms 4 2 8 Housekeeping and taking care of children some time (for example stuck in prevent women from taking full advantage of the value ‘women’s work’) that chain opportunities. However, proximity to the family prevent women from house, provides opportunities for women to play an taking full advantage of important role in the sector. value chain opportunities?

Overall total for 83/102 gender potential

* Score: 0 (very low, no, not at all) to 5 (very high, yes, very important).

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 21 TABLE 6. SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE MAPS VALUE CHAIN

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

. A wide range of herbs and spices available; . Little or no experience in cultivation; . Appropriate soil and climatic conditions; . Lack of post-harvest infrastructure; . High-quality products; . Lack of market information; . Poor access to finance;

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

. Great national and international demand; . Uncontrolled picking of wild herbs can destroy biodiversity; . Availability of grant fund for investments. . The growing trend of young people leaving rural areas for a better life in large cities. . Property rights may hamper investments.

TABLE 7. SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE AGRITOURISM VALUE CHAIN

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

. Agriculture based area; . Lack of experience and business management skills in agritourism; . Good geographic location; . Lack of adequate training programs for agritourism . Tradition of hospitality and cooking; management. . Low-cost services; . Poor road infrastructure and poor public transport in rural areas; . Poor access to finance;

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

. High priority in the Government Agenda (100 villages . Property rights problems might hamper investments program); . Mismanagement of waste in rural areas . Availability of funds for investments offered by . different grant programs (AZHBR, IPARD, other) The growing trend of young people leaving rural areas for a better life in large cities. . Growing demand for agritourism experience from both national and foreign tourists; . Employment opportunities for youth.

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 22 MAP OF THE SELECTED VC In the diagram below is presented the comprehensive Map of the identified VC as with most potential (Agritourism VC), based also on the assessment of the women’s empowerment and gender equality in the VC, as well as the SWOT analysis. The mapping represents the key stakeholders, product flow from inputs to the final market and helps identify gaps or bottlenecks in production flow.

Figure 4. Mapping of Agritourism Value Chain

AGRITOURISM SUPPLY Agriculture farms. There are numerous agriculture farms in the Municipality of Bulqizë which have good potential for agritourism development. Many farms have their old family dwellings which can be easily transformable into guesthouses/bed and breakfast, etc. Women and youth are involved in agriculture activities, however, there are still processes that have remained a domain of men. Here we can mention input supplying and marketing and sales. So, men control the value chain processes in the lower and upper sides, while women remain in the middle working on cultivation services, harvesting, post-harvesting, etc. Adding the tourism component to an existing family farm would require a better product quality now targeted for international consumers. Not only the quality but also the quantity of on-farm sales has the potential to increase substantially, and this creates great opportunities for greater involvement of women in the family business.

Figure 5. Illustration of the Agritourism supply Tourism services. Tourism services on farms have the potential to increase the value of agriculture products which can be sold to domestic and international tourists at premium prices. Moreover, tourism can serve as a good diversification strategy for agriculture farms and employment source for many young women and men. “I need to hire young women and men to work with tourists, but it is very difficult to find people which have the will to stay here and work in my business”, said Mr. Hupi during the focus group session in Bulqizë. So, agritourism has the potential to reduce unemployment, especially among youth and women. Agritourism units. Agritourism units are a combination of agriculture and tourism activities in family farms. Agritourism units can provide unique experiences for domestic and international tourists and doing this by making business. Most of the population lives in urban areas, and most of them prefer escaping the urban noise and chaos to enjoy the rural life, and the agritourism sector in Bulqizë has the potential to accommodate the demand created by this trend if proper interventions are performed. Agritourism has shown to reduce poverty among youth and women in many developing countries. In the Municipality of Bulqizë women do most of the services in agritourism units, including cooking, hospitality, cleaning of rooms, etc. Products and services are at the core of an agritourism business. Products are related to farm production of different fruits and vegetables, honey, olive oil, wine, and many other products which can be produced at the farm level. While services include combining these products with traditional cooking and good service, the range of recreational activities are available on farms, enabling tourists to live like a real farmer, etc. And in most of these production and services provision processes women have an important role.

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 24 ENABLING ENVIRONMENT For the agritourism businesses to succeed the rural ecosystem is very important. The rural ecosystem includes society, local culture, economy, knowledge, skills, technology, touristic trials available, touristic attractions, etc. Due to cultural barriers, men are more present and play a more important role in the rural ecosystem as compared to women. Women despite being involved in agriculture and tourism activities, also have to take care of housekeeping and children, while men participate in local meetings and have higher access to knowledge. This is why potential training interventions should primarily target women and youth. There is a high will to learn and develop skills among women to better integrate into the market. Despite the natural attractions in Bulqizë, there is a lack of, or very limited number of, touristic trails to help tourists move around in the area. Any intervention supporting the development of touristic trails would have a good long-term impact on increasing the flow of tourists in the area.

AGRITOURISM DEMAND There is a very high demand for agritourism products and services. This represents a great potential for the agritourism development in the area of Bulqizë, and a signal for policymakers and donors to support supply development initiatives to accommodate the increasing demand. International tourists are increasingly visiting northern Albania including Bulqizë and supporting this potential sector would not only secure women’s empowerment but also provide economic growth for the local economy.

INTERCONNECTED VALUE CHAINS Agritourism is one of the sectors with the highest number of interconnected value chains and supporting this sector in the Municipality of Bulqizë would provide positive externalities to many other sectors that directly or indirectly benefit from the agritourism development. Agritourism will bring local and international tourists to rural areas of Bulqizë and this would automatically increase the sale of wineries, honey producers, MAPs collectors (carefully packed products), and also the handicraft sector. Newly established agritourism units can be the clients of the producers of this value chain since they have the opportunity to sell these traditional local products at a premium price in the agritourism farms. So, indirectly the development of the agritourism VC will strengthen women’s involvement in other interconnected value chains which are very important for comprehensive agritourism at the local level.

MARKET SYSTEM OF THE SELECTED VCS The agritourism sector was selected as the value chain with the greatest potential, based on the assessment of women’s empowerment and gender equality. Figure 3 below provides a comprehensive market system diagram for the agritourism value chain. During the working group session, field work and consultation with experts the discussions were centered around what are the supporting functions and rules in the agritourism VC and what is missing in Bulqizë. Both men and women are involved in the process from farm producing activities to food and accommodation services on-farm, as well as the sale of fresh and processed products to domestic and international tourists at a higher price.

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 25

Figure 6. Agritourism market system – Municipality of Bulqizë Source: Adapted from SDC - M4P operational guide Two main parts of the market system for agritourism VC in Bulqizë on the supply side are agritourism units and on the demand side national and international tourists or visitors. The supporting functions and rules are all actors, systems, and institutions that should ensure an efficient flow of products and services along the VC. On the supply side, farms and agritourism units do not have the required skills and capacities to accommodate the demand for agritourism services and products from national and international tourists. During the focus group session and field interviews, people claim that the lack of a joint initiative to promote the area is preventing the sector from getting a larger flow of tourists. However, on the other hand, accommodation capacities are very limited and not at the required levels. Below are briefly explained and elaborated on the supporting functions and rules in the agritourism market system in the Municipality of Bulqizë. It is important to emphasize that some of the supporting functions do not exist in the area, or some rules and regulations are not having effect. This could serve in developing recommendations and actions for developing those market functions, which will contribute to a better inclusion of women and youth in the sector.

SUPPORTING FUNCTIONS AND RULES

SUPPORTING FUNCTIONS Training and capacity building. Training and capacity building on agritourism management, hospitality, English language, tour guides, farm management, etc., are very important and recommended for the agritourism sector in Bulqizë. In an interview with the owner of Hupi agritourism in Bulqizë, he stated that he wants to expand its activity and one of the risks he fears the most is the lack of qualified youth and women to work in his agritourism. Training and capacity building activities should primarily target youth and women in the area. Lending/grants/subsidies. Financial institutions (FIs), national and international donors’ programs are important in the agritourism market system. Access to finance is one of the main issues when it comes to the development of the agritourism sector in Bulqizë. Currently, in Bulqizë, the grant absorption rate is very low due to the total lack of information, lack and consulting companies and organizations to support them. Also, the banks and FIs consider the sector risky. To incentivize women’s participation in the sector, grant programs give priority to women applicants when accepting

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 26 applications for funding. It is important to find solutions to generate demand for capital. Many have their ideas for entering the value chain but hesitate to ask for funding to banks or applying to grant programs. Business planning/consultancy. To create viable agritourism units, business planning services should support investment from the beginning. Consultancy services are also very important during the agritourism operation. There should be initiative aiming at developing consulting services at a local level. Tour operators. Agritourism actors at local levels should closely collaborate with tour operators to include their guesthouses/farms in the travel package holidays developed and sold by tour operators. This is very important to ensure sustainable visitors flow. Currently, in Bulqizë, there is no cooperation between farms/agritourism and tour operators (except Hupi guesthouse which sometimes gets international visitors from tour operators). Transport infrastructure. One of the binding constraints for agritourism development mentioned by participants during the working group session was poor road infrastructure. A great opportunity for the Bulqizë area is the construction of the Rruga e Arbrit highway (Arber’s Highway) which will significantly reduce the travel time to Bulqizë from large urban areas such as Tirana and Durres. Local Festivals. Local festivals where people from across the country and from abroad can gather to celebrate a certain day such as the apple festival or herbs festival are very important for developing the area’s image and getting people to better know the locals. Handicraft/souvenirs. The handicraft sector is a sector that can be perfectly interconnected with agritourism. National and international tourists are very interested in traditional handicraft products and souvenirs, and the development of the agritourism sector provides a market opportunity for handicraft products. On the other hand, these products add to the agritourism offers of the farms and agriculture units by creating a better experience for the tourists. Safety and quality standards. With tourism growing agriculture farms will need to pay special attention to safety and quality standards of their food and agriculture products which will be served to visitors. Local and international tourists are becoming increasingly sensitive when it comes to food safety and quality. Marketing and promotion. Agritourism development in Bulqizë will require joint marketing and promotion campaigns to present Bulqizë as a touristic destination. Currently, marketing and promotion capacities in the area are very low or inexistent and during the workshop and interviews, participants asked for the municipality to help in developing a joint local strategy for marketing and promotion of the Municipality of Bulqizë as a touristic attraction. Training youth on marketing and promotion among others is considered a good investment for the future.

RULES AND REGULATIONS National strategy on Tourism Development. Agritourism is a top priority in the government agenda and this is reflected in the importance given to agritourism development in the strategy for tourism development. Intersectoral Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy ISARD. In the ISARD, an important focus is given to agritourism development and the promotion of traditional products. Operational plan for territorial development. The operational plan of the municipality acknowledges the importance of agritourism for the economic development of the municipality and states some of the constraints which are preventing the development of the sector. They are committed to take actions and be supportive toward the sector needs to create diversifying opportunities for the local population. However, the lack of municipal vision and commitment came out as one of the problems. 100 villages program. The GoA has recently approved the list of 100 touristic villages to be supported by the Government in the next four years. In the Municipality of Bulqizë, the village of

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 27 Zerqan is included in the program and is set to benefit from infrastructure investments and other interventions which are expected to turn Zerqan in a touristic attraction. Suggestions could be made to the program to support women-led initiatives in the agritourism sector in the Zerqan area. The development of this area will then serve as a road map for other villages. Decision of Council of Ministers (DCM) on Procedures to be a Certified agritourism business. The DCM clearly defines the criteria to be classified as an agritourism unit and the procedures to get the status of the “certified agritourism unit”. This certification is important to benefit from fiscal incentives provided by the government. AGRITOURISM ACTIVITY MUST TAKE PLACE ON FARMS THAT MEET THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS: • The farm should include at least one hectare of land cultivated with crops, or 0.5 hectares of greenhouses. • Animal husbandry farms must have at least ten heads of cattle, or 100 heads of goats/sheep, or 200 chicken. Shepherds ‘settlements (Stan) classify as animal husbandry activities. • Agritourism activity can take place even in agricultural units where the main activity includes the processing of agricultural, livestock, and fish farming produce (olive oil processing plants, wineries, dairy farms, fish farms, etc.) which are apt for agritourism activities. Subjects that provide activities defined as agritourism must offer one of the following services: . Accommodation . Food and refreshments . Recreational activities on the farm or in the surrounding area (on-farm activities) • Subjects that provide accommodation must have a capacity of rooms from six to 30. • According to the law on tourism, the structures that provide accommodation should comply with the urban criteria and local construction plans. If it’s possible, they need to comply with local construction styles. • Accommodation may include a camping site where campers can place their tents or park their camper trailers. In this case, the agritourism subject guarantees the hygienic-sanitary conditions (toilets, potable water, waste disposal bins, electric power supply) for a maximum of 15 camper trailers. • Food and refreshments must take place at adequate premises that meet the requirements of food and hygienic-sanitary conditions. The accommodation facility that provides food must have a specific number of dining tables that vary from 6 to 60. • At least 30 percent of the food and refreshments should be products from the farm. Moreover, 30-70 percent of food and beverages must be products of local origin made by farmers that conduct an activity in the same municipality or commune. • Agritourism subjects provide their visitors with recreational activities on the farm such as planting and harvesting, fishing, degustation, horse riding, hiking, etc. Licensing and permits. The municipality plays an important role in facilitating investment implementation by facilitating producers for licensing and permits. During the group session discussions, participants complained about complex, bureaucratic and time-consuming procedures to get the necessary licenses and permits to implement investments. Fiscal stimulus. In its mission to promote agritourism development, the Government of Albania last year approved a new fiscal package for an agritourism sector. In the fiscal package that the Albanian government adopted, the agritourism sector is set to benefit from several tax incentives, including a 5 percent corporate income tax, a reduced 6 percent VAT and exemption from the infrastructure tax on investment. These incentives are expected to incentivize investment in Bulqizë agritourism sector, a sector with great opportunity for youth and women empowerment. Supporting policies and incentives for youth participation. One of the main threats to sector development which came out during the group session in Bulqizë is the growing trend of young people leaving rural areas for a better life in large cities. There is an urgent need to develop activities and

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 28 programs to incentivize youth to stay in Bulqizë and see their future in one of the sectors with great potential, such as agritourism.

RESEARCH FINDINGS & OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN THE SELECTED VC

AGRITOURISM VALUE CHAIN Based on the workshops and interviews conducted with the main value chain actors, i.e. the representative of the guesthouse in Bulqizë, the following findings and results are denoted: Regarding THE OPPORTUNITIES that the Agritourism value chain has to offer specifically for women involved in terms of the increase of their livelihoods, interviewees mentioned/described the following:

OPPORTUNITIES

Growing domestic Creation of an and international Agritourism Development of demand information point tourists trails

Figure 7. Opportunities of the Agritourism Value Chain

° Growing demand. There is already a considerable market demand from both national and foreign tourists and the demand is expected to increase in the future due to an increase in tourists with the ongoing construction of Arbër highway passing through Bulqizë and connecting it with Dibër towards North Macedonia. Also, an opportunity is seen in connecting agritourism with other value chains, such as honey VC and handcrafts VC. To take advantage of this great opportunity which will be available soon, investments in increasing accommodation capacities are crucial to accommodate the growing demand. This will create many jobs for youth and women in the area. There is an increasingly higher demand for agritourism experiences from domestic and international tourists. This provides a great opportunity for the agritourism sector in the Municipality of Bulqizë, which should respond accordingly to this to take full advantage. There is a growing trend in Albania to turn farms into agritourism businesses. A lot of the drive is coming from women who are active participants in the farming activities and are interested in participating in trainings on how to make this transition happen.

o The creation of an Agritourism information point, if combined with the provision of support to the development of tourist trails, would create employment opportunities for youth and women who can accompany tourists as local tourist guides. Business owners have also expressed interest in opening organic stores and on-farm restaurants, which are expected to generate important employment opportunities for youth and women in the business and the municipality which is suffering from a high degree of unemployment and lack of employment opportunities (especially for women and youth).

o Development of tourist trails. Zerqan village, located in the Municipality of Bulqizë, is one of the villages included in the list of the “100 villages” program, undertaken by the Government of Albania, and focused on tourism and agribusiness, consisting in the infrastructural, cultural and historical rehabilitation of 100 villages throughout Albania. This will give Bulqizë the opportunity to benefit from investments. Regarding THE CONSTRAINTS faced by the Agritourism value chain, they can be summarized as follows:

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 29 ° Sector not attractive to young people. During the field work and group session in Bulqizë, experts had the chance to talk with several young women and men and understand their perception about agriculture and tourism in the area and their future perspective. Unfortunately, most of them don’t see agriculture and tourism as a prestigious and remunerative profession and are planning to leave the area for better opportunities in urban centers. On the other hand, the owner of an agritourism business “Agroturizëm Hupi” stated that he is planning to expand his agribusiness activities, but it is very difficult to find young women and men willing to create their future here. Moreover, with the number of visitors to the area increasing, the need for young educated people would only increase (young people who speak English, can work in the hospitality sector and as tour guides).

o Low access to finance. To benefit from the opportunities and have the chance to invest in the business, there is a need for substantial funds. In Bulqizë, the mining sector serves as the main source of income for the families. Although there are national funding schemes (such as IPARD), farmers and agritourism units cannot access them due to the lack of information, low absorption capacities, informal operations and perceptions from banks that consider agritourism as risky for lending. Another interesting fact is that many times local people have their ideas and needs for capital but they fail to transform it into a demand for capital. Financial education training programs are important in this respect as women are becoming more involved in the agritourism sector (with men continuing to be responsible for normal traditional farming activities).

o Low access to training and capacity building activities. Locals do not possess the necessary skills and relevant qualifications to run and manage the business. Training programs on these topics are non-existent at the local level, which is one of the main reasons for low business management skills, poor understanding of the agritourism concept, etc. Training sessions on the basic management topics, focusing on planning, organization, and oriented towards the agritourism sector are needed.

CONSTRAINTS

Low access to Sector not Low access to trainings and attractive to finance capacity building youth activities

Figure 8. Constraints of the Agritourism Value Chain Regarding GENDER INEQUALITY ISSUES AND WOMEN INCLUSION in the value chain, based on the information obtained from the focus groups and workshops, women are not included formally in the business. There exists high informality in the sector and even though women contribute to almost all the sectors, the decision-making authority of the family is the man. Some considerations are given by taking into account that men are thinking about passing the businesses’ ownership to their wives, but this is mainly because of the benefits generated by different national sectoral schemes if they decide to do so. For instance, one of the stakeholders interviewed had 4 employees of which three were women. Also, this is one of the reasons why agritourism is selected because of better opportunities for women and youth inclusion. Regarding FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES, the interviewees mentioned that the generated income from this activity do not cover all their needs. They do not have access to finance due to the lack of information9 .

9 The IPARD (Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance for Rural Development) II9 financing scheme that will be opened at the end of October 2019 includes Agritourism in its Measure 7 for “Farm Diversification and Business Development).

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 30 ACTION PLAN

SUGGESTED INTERVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË In the following sections are presented some useful recommendations about the agritourism value chain development in the Municipality of Bulqizë and the categorization, according to their impact (short-term/mid-term/long-term) and budget requirements (small/medium/large):

TABLE 8. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AGRITOURISM VALUE CHAIN

IMPACT BUDGET NO RECOMMENDATIONS – AGRITOURISM VC Short- Mid- Long- Small Medium Large term term term

Training and capacity building activities 1 (especially for women and youth).

Provide training and capacity building activities on Agritourism management, business 1.1 X X management skills, fund absorption skills, fiscal stimulus available, financial education, etc.

Training on hospitality, basic English to 1.2 X X communicate with international tourists,

Support exchange visits. Field visits to developed Agritourism areas in the region to learn from 1.3. their experience (especially with Dibër – with a X X more developed agritourism sector and more projects working in it).

2 Small grants to incentivize investments

Provide small grants to help rural families turn 2.1 X X their old dwellings into guesthouses.

Provide small grants for on-farm processing lines to promote traditional products and enrich the 2.1 X X tourism offer of farms; small grants for on-farm touristic activities; farm tours etc.

Support in establishing a touristic info 3 point and develop tourist trails

Provide support in developing a touristic info 3.1 point to be managed by women and youth in the X X area

Support in the identification and development of 3.2 X X tourist trails

Facilitate the link between tour operators, travel 3.3 X X agencies and local farms and agritourism units

Support a local cluster of agritourism units, to 3.4 improve horizontal cooperation to develop local X X guides

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 31 TABLE 8. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AGRITOURISM VALUE CHAIN

IMPACT BUDGET NO RECOMMENDATIONS – AGRITOURISM VC Short- Mid- Long- Small Medium Large term term term

Support in the concept and organization of a 3.5 local agritourism festival in collaboration with X X the municipality

All of the above-mentioned recommendations/actions combined with fiscal stimulus offered by government, 100 village programs, and the construction of Arber highway will completely transform the agritourism sector and create employment opportunities for youth and women. Local Partners/ cooperation: Albanian Local Capacity Development Foundation (ALCDF) has programs running (including a USAID/Sweden-funded Dibër: Trails and Traditions project) supporting and promoting agritourism as a new form of sustainable tourism. Nucleus Albania is interested in providing training and capacity building on the topics described. However, they are interested in partnering with other organizations (e.g. CBS has a branch in Peshkopi-Dibër) to benefit from the expertise on formalization, food safety requirements, contract farming, certifications. Youth Board in Bulqizë is very active and can contribute to making the exercises attractive to young people. Peace Corps Volunteers have expressed their interest to cooperate especially in the field of agritourism and hospitality. The Municipality of Bulqizë has expressed its commitment to the development of agritourism in Bulqizë as part of the 100 Villages program (more specifically village of Zerqan but with a spillover effect to other villages).

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 32 BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Chapter 4: Value Chain Mapping Tool” and “Module 11: Sustainable Value Chains” (GIZ) CID, 2014. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Albania – Value chain analysis. Available at: https://albania.growthlab.cid.harvard.edu/files/albaniagrowthlab/files/medicinal_aromatic_plants.pdf. Last accessed, November 20, 2017. FAO, 2014. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Mini-sector Study. Prepared under the Project “Preparation of Inter- sectorial strategy for agriculture and rural development in Albania”. FAO, 2018. Market and Value Chain Analysis of Selected Sectors for Diversification of the Rural Economy and Women's Economic Empowerment. Albania. Available at: http://www.fao.org/3/I8909EN/i8909en.pdf Andre Devaux, Maximo Torero, Jason Donovan, Douglas Horton, “Agricultural innovation and inclusive value-chain development: a review”, Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, March 2018. AASF, 2019. Agritourism sector potentials and its financial needs to support investments. Municipality of Bulqizë. 2016. Operational Plan of Local Development (STAR Project). Institute for Democracy and Mediation. AIDA, Albania calls - A country of opportunities. Albanian Investment Development Agency. UNICEF, Observatory &. 2016. "Fact Sheet: On child rights situation municipalities of Dibër region." CBS, 2019. Gender-sensitive Value Chain Analysis – Assessment of Value Chins in Six Municipalities. Unpublished PLGP Study, 2018. Municipality of Bulqizë Mapping Assessment, Unpublished.

Data sources INSTAT (www.instat.gov.al). Data from municipal plans/ reports. Data from relevant institutions in the Municipality of Bulqizë.

ANNEXES

LIST OF SURVEYS Below are listed the main actors/representatives with whom interviews were conducted and questionnaires were filled during field visits: ° Male Guesthouse owner in the Municipality of Bulqizë. The transcripts of the interviews and questionnaires are attached.

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 33 FIELD VISIT: AGRITOURISM VALUE CHAIN

TABLE 2: VALUE CHAIN ACTOR

QUESTION (SITUATION FOR MEN AND WOMEN) ACTOR NARRATIVE ON ACTOR

MALE GUESTHOUSE OWNER, MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË Value Chain Guesthouse. Considerable market demand. Value chain actor Host. Owner of the property. Value chain level (market actor, value chain actor, value Key actor. Controls all stages. chain supporter) Type of actor (Farmer, buyer, processor, technology, Host. Owner of the business, but all family involved. inputs of any kind) Category of actor (Allies/Enabler/Blockers or Neutral) Enabler. Opened to market development. Actor owned/controlled by men or women? 100 percent controlled by man. The owner controls every step even though all the family is involved (wife, mother, and cousin). What activities do the actors perform? Accommodation, Tour guide (hiking trails), Camping, Both, men and women are involved. Restaurant, Farmer. Who is responsible for which activity? Men & Women together. Women do most of the things, but the owner is supervising everything. What do the men and women gain from the activity? 1500-2000 ALL per day. Seasonal workers. Cost structure of production Food; These costs can go up to 5000 EUR per year. Labor; Utilities. Are women’s roles changing? Why? Yes. Women in his family are getting involved in every step of the value chain and he is thinking to pass the business to his wife after all the women are trained and have the right skills. How close is the place of work from their household? The guesthouse is up in a village. He has rented a home in the city, and there is where he lives. What are the wider roles of men and women as productive Women: Everything. Both of them participate heavily in every task. role? Reproductive role? And community role? Men: Women are under his supervision, but he contributes in everything as well. What are the skills levels of the workers (men and women)? Traditional skills of hospitality. Learned from their family traditions and experience.

Number of hired workers men/women Men:1 Women:3 Family members, 1 employed. Is there vulnerable employment? Yes. Not registered as law requires. Number of hidden/informal workers men/women 3 Family members do not need to be registered, but seasonal workers are not registered as law requires.

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 34 Do the women in the value chain have Agency? Not really. Even though they are the one participating in every step, at the end of the day is the head of the family (man) who takes the final decision. Measure of good impact in your business (profit, living, Changes are needed. What they earn from the business is what they live with. turnover, more control) or what is your perception of change/impact? Who determines the price, and do you have any influence Price takers & Price makers. They consult with the market price. on price? Are there training needs in the value chain (focus on Yes. Skills gaps exist in each step and there is willingness to get trained. women)? Do women have access to land, water, and technology? Yes, but not in technology. They participate in every step, but not using technology.

Do women have access to BDS? No. They are the main player in this value chain.

Where and when is finance accessed in the value chain and At the end of the last step. They get profit (money) after they have given the service, and what they for what purposes? earn from other businesses they invest it in the guesthouse. How is technology used in the value chain? Online promotion. Online promotion in social media, booking, etc. What are the opportunities in the value chain? Growing demand; The demand for guesthouses and camping sites is growing, this property Create an Agritourism point. has a lot of potential for development and the owner already has a business plan. What are the constraints/bottlenecks in the value chain? Lack of funds. He needs funds to make all the predicted investments. There are 8 rooms, where only 5 are finished and 3 are under construction. Are there structural factors in the community that would Not really. He wants to hire only women as a workforce from the neighborhood. limit or influence the opportunities women in the value There are about 60 houses around. chain have? What is the cause of the constraint? Lack of funds to grow his business. Not enough funds to meet his objectives and market demand. Is there an opportunity for value chain actors to be the Yes, they do see cooperation as a good opportunity Lack of opportunities to get better. driver of a market development solution? to reach their inner goals, and not only. Do they cooperate with other value chain actors? Is there Yes. He already cooperates with milk producers, farmers, and honey opportunity? producers, but still looking forward to cooperating with more people. Is climate change, environmental degradation impacting on No. Even during the winter when there is snow, the location is very easily the actor? accessible and there are a lot of tourists.

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 35

LIST OF SUGGESTED CONTACTS/ STAKEHOLDERS/ EXPERTS FOR TRAININGS. NO. NAME_SURNAME ORGANIZATION POSITION AREA OF EXPERTISE CONTACT

1 Lindita Manga ALCDF Executive Director Local capacity-building, Business [email protected] Management, Certifications 2 Ergent Pire Creative Business Business Advisor Business Management, Certifications, [email protected] Solutions Business Registration, Access to Finance 3 Fatmir Nikolli NOA Financial Financial Advisor Business Management, Certifications, [email protected] Institution Business Registration, Access to Finance 4 Clirim Lleshi Creative Business Business Advisor Business Management, Certifications, [email protected] Solutions Business Registration, Access to Finance 5 Lulezim Kadiasi individual consultant individual consultant Agribusiness management; HACCP; Organic; [email protected] access to finance (IPARD, national schemes) 6 Sabah Sena Albanian Group of Professor Food Safety, Agribusiness Management [email protected] Agricultural Advisors 9 Ilir Kapaj Agricultural University Professor Agribusiness management [email protected] of Tirana 10 Edison Balla Youth Board Consultant Youth empowerment, education, [email protected] coordination with the municipality 11 Antonia Sweet Peace Corps Volunteer English (Business, Tourism, Hospitality) [email protected]

12 Thomas Baranyi Peace Corps Volunteer English (Business, Tourism, Hospitality) [email protected]

13 ICDQ Albania Organic, HACCP, ISO certifications [email protected]

14 AlbChrome.al Economic Development, Education and [email protected] Training

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 36

U.S. Agency for International Development PLANNING AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROJECT IN ALBANIA

RR. DERVISH HIMA 3 KULLAT PRAPA STAD. QEMAL STAFA KULLA 1, APT. 91, KATI 10 TIRANA, ALBANIA

www.plgp.al facebook.com/Albania.USAID

GENDER-SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BULQIZË | 37