When support is provided

I got to know Luigj  Frangaj, in one of the hottest June days, this year. He is one of the persons that have remained faithful to his profession even in the free market economy. I have always wanted to test my professional values and skills, Luigj is quoted to say.

Being an agronomist by profession, Luigj seems to have realized his cherished dream; He is now the owner of a small farm, where he has developed his own business for more than ten years. He started with an area of 5 Dynym land, that he profited during the property restitution reform and every passing year Luigji bought more land and now he is the owner of five hectares area of land. Luigji says that this farm is the fruit of all his family efforts and hard work. What a greenness everywhere on this farm where one is amazed by the variety of the vineyards, peach trees full of ripe, pink, sweet peaches on them, and many young fruit trees. He then explains to us the structure of planting, stating further that the production of vineyard saplings and young fruit trees are a priority in Luigji’s activity.

He produces saplings in bags which he considers technically and qualitative wise and accurate. The saplings are distributed then in all the country’s territory and I consider it right when he tells me that his activity is the first genetic bank. Luigji goes on saying that in many cases we see that the autochthonous varieties are disappearing. These varieties, he says are a great value for the country; hence he is trying to conserve, propagate and improve the grape variety. He is very fond of the kallmet grape, the local grape that the inhabitants of this region are so fond of. This variety of the grapes is very famous all over the country. Such a neat work everywhere on this farm! The many years work on this farm and the products on this 5 hectare area, all go hand in hand.

Luigji says that one can work hard and passionately but this is not enough. He found it so difficult to cope with the financial difficulties in his property in Zejmen of Lezha, his birthplace. He informs me that when he was trying hard to find a fund for the establishment of the irrigation system on his farm, from the information published with transparency in the media by the World Bank, he learned the natural way of applying for a fund.

It was in 2003 when Luigji applied for the competitive grants and was given a grant of 14 000 dollars. Out of this sum, 10 000 dollars were invested for the irrigation system in the farm, and others were used for technical assistance, such as the organization of the seminars and preparation of leaflets, which provide information on the technology for the production of the saplings of the cross-bred antifolxeric vineyards. This support from the World Bank came in due time. It accelerated the time of the farm development. This farm produces so far 50 thousand saplings, but Luigj Frangaj thinks that they are insufficient, given that demands for them are increasing. He thinks to increase the product in 200 thousand but it is difficult to achieve it within the blink of the eye. Luigji is well aware of this, but he remains optimistic and he wishes the competitive grant program would last longer. Luigji thinks that the Albanian farmers do need this program. The majority of the farmers have just started their business. The people have come back to cultivate their fallow land for which the World Bank Program is giving its contribution.

The Program of the Competitive Grants, which started to be implemented in 2000, is the component of the project on agricultural services, supported by the World Bank with 12 million dollars. The share of the competitive grants is 2.5 million dollars and it was initially covering eight districts and later it covered all the territory of the country. During all the 11 rounds of the competitive grant program implemented, 656 projects were presented mainly in the field of stock raising, fruit growing, agriculture, milk processing etc. 140 projects were selected from the 656 presented and Luigj Frangaj, with whom I started this story.

Luigj Frangaj applied during the fourth round of the project, when he did not yet own the area of 5 hectares. Even the product was not in such a quantity. During that time, he used to work only with his wife Marie on his property whereas now Luigji has employed 10 persons who are working with the other members of their families. The establishment of the irrigation system for which he spent 10 000 dollars, was a good push forward for him. Therefore, he feels and he expresses his gratitude to the competitive grant program of the World Bank. Luigji has other ambitions as well. He wants to establish a modern green house at an estimated cost of 500 thousand Euros. If he invests his own money, he will need a 10 year work to achieve it, but he rests with the hope that such a program as the competitive grant program is, will support him. While he was speaking to us his wife Maria does not allow us to leave the farm without tasting the delicious sweet peaches growing on this farm.