Factsheet: A multistakeholder initiative for Sustainable Food Systems in the Mediterranean (SFS-MED) - Albania

Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Albania, Jordan, and Morocco, the project was backstopped by the Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division (ESF). In Albania, the FAO country office supported agrifood systems transformation by facilitating participatory multi-stakeholder policy-making processes through national and sub-national dialogues. This collaborative approach led to the development of a cohesive national roadmap by the Government, national partners, and agrifood systems stakeholders. Agritourism was identified as a key driver for transformation, resulting in capacity-building activities for stakeholders, including farmers and agritourism units, to adopt agroecological farming approaches, establish stronger market linkages, and raise awareness about healthy diets and local agrobiodiversity among consumers, tourists, and school children. The solutions facilitated by the project led to multiple positive outcomes for Albania’s agrifood systems, including increased rural incomes, enhanced employment opportunities, and the promotion of healthy diets that conserve biodiversity and protect the environment.