The causes of underdevelopment of agriculture in Albania and its social problems

1. Introduction

Albania is located in the southwestern part of the peninsula Balkan ( BREW, D. S. (2003). This study is based on the interview of 12 residents, in rural areas, which are engaged in agriculture. After 1990 emigration started one of the biggest problems, which continues even today, mass emigration of the population. Due to poverty, many Albanians take the path of emigration, to ensure a better life. Mass emigration, especially of young people, has returned strongly after the pandemic. Albanians are leaving, risking their lives just like in a war. (monitor,2022). Mass emigration brought a decrease in the labor strength, especially in agriculture, which is one of the most difficult fields, where incomes are also lower.  Agriculture is one of the fields with less income, for some reasons the lack of subsidies, even those subsidies, which are not given to farmers, but a good part given to collectors.  Since the lands are very fragmented, due to the agrarian reform which took place after 1991, it is very difficult for the tillage to be done with machinery and the costs to be low.

2.Methodology.

This study used qualitative methodology. For this study 12 interviews were conducted with people involved in agriculture. Participants were chosen randomly within this frame. The questions were open. Open questions were used in order to give the interviewee ,the opportunity to describe,  new information about the problem, that agriculture encounters. The interviews last about 30 minutes.

 

3.Result

 

Agriculture is one of the sectors, which is less profitable and less interesting for young people. Labor shortage was felt more in the agriculture sector. This lack is emphasized even during the interviews.

Questions if you are missing  the workforce. A man about 55years old emphasizes that it is difficult to find a worker when are the jobs largest in agriculture. Not only, that the payment is small but very young people or people of working age emigrate. And another resident in rural areas he emphasizes that even children have emigrated to us that they had no perspective to work their land. Economic income they are much bigger in emigration .

Question why agriculture is not very profitable.  A person about 60 years old which deals with agriculture said:

“Being that the surface of the earth it is small and damaged it is difficult  that works with low-cost machinery is impossible”.

While another person emphasizes: Being  than the amount of production to get from this earth's surface is small and the price cannot be too low. Competition there are many of these products bigger. But, the main reason is the price setting from bigger collectors, making the market a monopoly.

A man about 55 years old that works with agriculture  emphasizes, among other things:

With all the difficulties that we have until we take agricultural products in market. The prices that we sell them at are very low and make us not to have much interest in dealing with this sector. To produce agricultural products for family consumption. While another emphasizes: it is difficult to sell agricultural products when prices are defined by collectors and the state does not act.

 

 

Discussion:

This study shows that agriculture it is one of the most challenging fields in Albania.  People who work in this sector emphasize that it is very difficult to survive. This study shows that the lack of labor force you come from emigration. Also the lack of subsidies make it impossible for agricultural products to compete with imported ones.

Revista Monitor,  Alarmi i emigracionit! Lufta e heshtur e Shqipërisë 28.10.2022 ( Monitor Magazine, Immigration Alert! Albania's silent war 28.10.2022)

DAVID S. BREW: Geomorphology of the Albanian Adriatic Coast, Taylor & Francis, Ltd, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40573827