Abstract
Albania has rich natural resources and appropriate soil and climatic conditions to produce wild and cultivated Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs). There are more than 300 species of MAPs in the Albanian flora, which are considered important from a natural resource and economic viewpoint. This paper analyzes the MAPs sector in Albania based on expert interviews and desk research. It provides several insights into the importance of the sector from socioeconomic prospective. It also analyzes the value chain structure, describing various categories of actors in the value chain. The exports, mainly to the EU and US, have increased over the years. However, we can observe a reduced supply of wild plants due to damaged resources and a reduced labor force in mountainous areas. This has been partly compensated by the growing importance of some plants’ cultivation. Despite growth and potential, this sector is facing several challenges. Some of these challenges are related to the production and post-harvest technology and practices on the farm, safety and quality standards and traceability. Addressing these issues should be a priority for policy-makers and private sector actors, in order to improve the sector’s competitiveness and sustainability.
Zusammenfassung
Albanien verfügt über reiche natürliche Ressourcen und geeignete Boden- und Klimabedingungen, um wilde sowie angebaute Arznei- und Gewürzpflanzen (AGP) zu sammeln bzw. zu produzieren. Derzeit gibt es mehr als 300 AGP-Arten in der albanischen Flora, die sowohl unter dem Aspekt der natürlichen Ressourcen, als auch unter wirtschaftlichen Gesichtspunkten als wichtig angesehen werden könen. Dieser Artikel analysiert den AGP Sektor in Albanien, basierend auf Experteninterviews und sekundären Forschungsergebnissen. Auch werden Einblicke, auf die Bedeutung des Sektors aus der sozio-ökonomischen Perspektive, dargestellt. Analysiert werden die Wertschöpfungsstruktur, sowie verschiedene Akteure in der Wertschöpfungskette. Die Exporte, vor allem in die EU und die USA, haben sich im Laufe der letzten Jahre erhöht. Jedoch konnten wir eine reduzierte Lieferung von Wildpflanzen durch beschädigte Ressourcen und eine verminderte Erwerbsbevölkerung in den Berggebieten beobachten. Dies wird teilweise, durch die wachsende Bedeutung des Anbaus einiger Pflanzen, ausgeglichen. Trotz Wachstum und Potenzial ist dieser Sektor von mehreren Herausforderungen geprägt, z. B. Produktions-, Nacherntetechnologien und -praktiken in den Betrieben, Sicherheits- und Qualitätsstandards und Rückverfolgbarkeit. Die Auseinandersetzung mit diesen Fragen sollte Priorität für politische Entscheidungsträger und private Akteure haben, um die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und Nachhaltigkeit des Sektors zu verbessern.
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Acknowledgments
This paper was based on a study on the MAP value chain, which was prepared by the authors of this paper and some more specialists during February and June 2014 within the framework of the EU/FAO project “Preparation of Intersectorial Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development in Albania.”
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Imami, D., Ibraliu, A., Fasllia, N. et al. Analysis of the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Value Chain in Albania. Gesunde Pflanzen 67, 155–164 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10343-015-0354-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10343-015-0354-0
Keywords
- MAPs
- Wild medicinal and aromatic plants
- Cultivated medicinal and aromatic plants
- Sage
- Traceability
- Sector analysis
- Market
- Trade