PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marie K. Thompson
DATE: June 27, 2001
Seminar
in Pristina Focuses on Future of Agriculture in Kosovo
"Regional free
trade and niche marketing are the viable solutions," says
Wojtek Mlodziejewski of the Kosovo Department of Trade and Industry.
"Kosovo should . . . learn what to produce and how and where to
market it." The senior trade official was one of eight featured
speakers during a seminar, which was organized by the International
Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and held in Pristina, Kosovo,
on June 14, 2001. The purpose of the seminar was to encourage
consensus on the important role that agribusiness must play in the
future of Kosovo and to discuss how best to set the policy stage for
progress and to tackle the challenges facing the sector. With
funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),
IFDC is conducting a project in Kosovo that should help that country
produce more food for its people.
The Director of the
USAID mission in Kosovo, Craig Buck, opened the seminar by noting
the importance of agriculture for Kosovo and the impact of a private
sector framework for its development. He noted the successes to date
of the IFDC project and the benefit of learning from the experiences
of other transitional economies.
IFDC’s
Agribusiness Coordinator, Ian Gregory, chaired the seminar, which
was organized by IFDC/Kosovo Chief of Party, Richard Hicks. In
presenting an overview of the problems and solutions for Kosovo’s
agriculture sector, Hicks said, "There are positive portents
and opportunities that can lead to solid and sustainable
agribusiness for Kosovo in the year 2010 if the right strategies are
adopted and implemented now. Favorable future prospects depend on
factors such as a Balkan free trading pact, capture of global market
niches, a working commercial banking sector, land consolidation,
labor rationalization, and development of an efficient
agro-processing industry."
More than 130
invited guests attended the one-day seminar, which was aimed at the
range of actors who will influence the direction and prospects for
agricultural development. They included agricultural trade
association leaders, government officials, leaders of political
parties, the media, local experts, donors and implementing
organizations.
The eight featured
speakers and the audience reached a remarkable degree of consensus
on these key issues:
- The growth of
agribusiness in Kosovo is both possible and essential as an
engine for growth of the economy over the long term.
- The best
opportunities are in labor-intensive, value-added niche
products.
- The economy will
be market-driven and led by the private sector.
- The political
leaders and government institutions must move quickly to
establish a favorable policy and regulatory framework to promote
business.
- Subsidies for
agriculture are not realistic or desirable. There may need to be
temporary protection against unfair competition from imports.
- Kosovo needs to
take advantage now of high donor funding and remittances to
obtain the necessary help in upgrading technology and developing
new markets, value-added commodity chains, and sub-sector
linkages.
- Other
transitional economies, such as Albania and Poland, offer
valuable lessons in how to promote the policy and market-driven
actions that can support agribusiness. For example, trade
associations offer a voice for reform.
- Kosovo
entrepreneurs need to adopt new attitudes, technologies, and
practices to compete in a world of constantly improving
production and value.
- There are many
obstacles and risks to overcome, but the potential is good.
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