Establishment of an advisory system for small-scale farmers and support of the station for animal breeding of Čorovode, Albania
- Sectors: Integrated livestock development, Breeding and genetic improvement
- Duration: 05/1994 – 03/1996
- Volume: 0.7 Mill. Euro
- Persons: Months: 28
- Client: Austrian Development Agency, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Vienna
- Partner: Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Tirana
After the change of the political system in Albania, collective economy collapsed in many sectors due to the radical privatisation that had taken place. The breeding station of Corovode, an experimental farm for breeding Grauvieh, was an exception though. Due to their robust and modest nature, Austrian Grauvieh were very well adapted to agro-ecologic conditions in the country. Therefore, they play an important role in milk and meat production. The project that was carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, included the rehabilitation of the breeding station as well as the establishment of an advisory system for small-scale farmers in the communities in reach of the breeding station.
The rehabilitation included the extension of office buildings and stables, the establishment of milking parlours, the purchase of machinery and tractors for fodder cultivation and of materials needed for breeding and veterinary purposes. Subsequently, the organisation of the station was restructured, a training centre was built, and the herd book was digitalized. A programme was initiated to connect research (Science Department of the Ministry for Agriculture and Food) more closely with the advisory service, and to train the available personnel. The core issue was to extend the advisors- zoo-technical know-how towards wider agricultural knowledge. By putting the programme into practice in four communities, experience could be gained for the extension of such advisory services to province level.
Austroprojekt contributed to organise short- and long-term missions of experts in the zoo-technical and veterinary field, to procure materials and establish contacts to Austrian breeders of Grauvieh, who were willing to further support cattle breeding in Albania.