Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Management, Edmond Panariti met on Monday with EU High Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hoggan during a visit to Italy. The talks focused on the irrigation and flood prevention, and prevention of diseases in agriculture, associated these with climate change. Panariti informed Commissioner Hogan over the interventions and investments in irrigation and drainage, while asking for a major support from the European Union in this regard.

During this meeting the Albanian Minister informed Commissioner Hogan also over some of the achievements of the Ministry of Agriculture, from 2014 until February 2017.

“Total funding by the state budget and foreign financial endorsements for the infrastructure of irrigation, drainage and flood protection goes up to ALL 16.1 billion,” 

Project of Water Resources and Irrigation, funded by the World Bank with EUR 31 million, has become effective in May 2013 and under the agreement ratified by the Parliament, ending May 2018. Also, the rehabilitation of dams has been completed and by the end August 2017 the rehabilitation of irrigation schemes for 20 thousand hectares will also be completed,” said Panariti, adding that the performance and products foreseen for this project are within the timeframe stipulated in the agreement.