Support for rural farmers and small businesses in Albania is being strengthened through an integrated financing and technical assistance program implemented by FED invest in partnership with the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), with a particular focus on the economic empowerment of women.
The €10 million financing program aims to support microenterprises, SMEs, farmers and individuals with limited access to finance, particularly in rural and underserved areas. A significant portion of the funding is dedicated to women entrepreneurs. In terms of social impact, the program is expected to support more than 3,000 microenterprises and farms and to generate at least 250 new jobs, making it an important pillar for the sustainable development of local communities.
Beyond the credit line itself, the Slovak Inclusive Growth Account and the CEB support the strengthening of capacities among rural farmers and small entrepreneurs through practical agricultural training and financial literacy seminars delivered in rural areas by experts from the ABA Centre. Since the launch of the program, approximately 1,000 farmers have benefited from these training activities, with notable participation from women. Within this framework, FED invest has also developed a dedicated financing product for women entrepreneurs across all sectors, ranging from agriculture and livestock farming to various service industries.
Ms. Kristina Maslauskaite, Technical Assistance Advisor for Microfinance at the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), stated that the program aims to support farmers and small entrepreneurs in rural areas, with a special emphasis on women, through both financing and technical assistance. "The project aims to strengthen the capacities of rural farmers and small entrepreneurs in underserved areas, with a particular focus on women’s empowerment through training, practical demonstrations and expert support," said Kristina Maslauskaite, Representative of the Council of Europe Development Bank.
Meanwhile, Mr. Behar Gjoni, Deputy Administrator and Business Director of FED invest, emphasized that the program has been designed to provide not only financing but also technical assistance to beneficiaries, ensuring that investments are sustainable and successful. "We have placed special emphasis on supporting women entrepreneurs by offering more favorable financing conditions and lower interest rates, with the aim of encouraging their greater participation in the economy," said Mr. Gjoni.
One of the beneficiaries of the training program is Ms. Haxhire Demirxhiu, a beekeeper from Preza who has been engaged in beekeeping for decades. "We have worked with FED invest for many years, and their support has helped us grow. We have been involved in beekeeping for 48 years, and this assistance has been very important for our business," she said.
In this context, support for women entrepreneurs and small businesses is increasingly being recognized as a key driver not only of Albania’s economic development but also of the country’s continued alignment with European Union standards.
Learn more about : FED Invest https://www.fedinvest.al/ and CEB: the social development bank for Europe | CEB
