Sunflowers in Albania – UMCOR launches new development project
28 May 2004
 UMCOR NGO has commenced implementation of the
'Sunflower Production Support Program' from
our newly-opened UMCOR Albania
office. The project will provide 50 farmers with business
and technical support which will enable them to grow
sunflowers suitable for the production of oil.
UMCOR Albania will sell about 4,190 Metric Tons (MT) of
crude sunflower oil, donated by USDA (United States
Department of Agriculture) and use the proceeds to
implement the 'Sunflower Production Support Program'.
The process of using proceeds from commodity sales for
agricultural development is known as monetisation.
This latest project reaffirms UMCOR's commitment to the
Balkans region and its regional approach to programming.
"The sunflower oil and seed project in Albania is a
great example of self-development for economic
empowerment," said the Rev. R. Randy Day, general
secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries of The
United Methodist Church.
The sunflower venture is a new undertaking for UMCOR.
Previous monetisation efforts utilized commodities and
focused on training rather than market development. In
Bosnia and Herzegovina, UMCOR monetised a total of 186,000
MT of commodities which generated US$ 46.6 million for
projects. Of that amount, UMCOR used approximately US$ 11
million for farm technical assistance, loan programs for
entrepreneurial farmers, and youth-focused activities in
underdeveloped rural communities.
"This program will facilitate positive change in
productivity and profitability for farmers and processors
alike," said Paul Dirdak, chief executive of UMCOR.
Albania is a country of low income which suffers from
serious food deficits. The per-capita annual income is US$
2,300 and the unemployment rate is as high as 30 percent
in some areas, according to a 2002 World Bank study.
Agriculture is a key source of income, though the
population is drifting towards urban centers in search of
work.
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