Your Advertisiment Here 

-           Making known and promoting principles, ideas and advantages of sustainable agriculture, through publications, media, training, workshops, etc.

-           Encouraging the creation of farmers' groups and marketing channels for organic  products. 

-           Advising individual businesses and groups of farmers for producing, processing and marketing organically produced products. 

-           Assisting members and interested groups by training courses, workshops, conferences, publications, study tours, etc.

-           Assisting the Government and other institutions in the formulation of the laws of legislature, agriculture policies and generally in the development of the rural areas based on the principles and practices of the sustainable development.            

-           Assisting members and interested groups by training courses, workshops, conferences, publications, study tours, etc.

-           Provision of local certification “Bio-Organic” and facilitation of procedures for local and international inspection.

Organic Agriculture Association (OAA) successfully continues running the project “Sustainable Agriculture Support in Albania” (SASA)

The Albanian government approved in 1998 the Green Strategy. It was innovative that it was included in this strategy a chapter for sustainable rural development.  OAA took responsibility of writing this chapter. Nevertheless the content of strategy was appreciated it was not applied in practice. To make the concept applicable OAA jumped in terrain initiating a project  since 2000, which would be named latter SASA (Sustainable Agriculture Support in Albania).

The project aimed a vertical integration from agricultural production up to consumers’ information. In order to demonstrate sustainable agriculture it was chosen the best model of it, organic agriculture. In 6 years work it was proved to be successful model. Nowadays there is evidence of an organic local market, including the presence of organic stall in the hypermarket in Tirana. Exports of  certified organic products are evident also, like olive oil, medicinal herbs etc.

OAA continues to run SASA project almost in all dimensions, by increasing the presence in market, even after terminating the financial support from Swiss Development Agency.

It is expected that the certified organic products for fruits and vegetables in local market reaches 300 tons in 2006 instead of 200 tons in 2005.

It is increased the interest from medicinal herbs companies to be certified as organic. OAA is facilitating this process, basically through approaching ICEA with its professional and well recognized services of inspection and certification.   

The Albanian Government has to take a more active role in providing a wide application of sustainable rural development practices. OAA remains quite supportive organization in this approach.

Note: This written part is summarized from the article published on 29 July 2006 in the newspaper “Biznesi” by Lavdosh Ferruni