Kosovo Agricultural Growth and Rural Opportunities Activity: Quarterly Report (Apr-June 2018)

The activity began in 2015 and is scheduled to run for five years. The primary objective of AGRO is to increase agricultural productivity, improve market access, and enhance the competitiveness of Kosovo's agricultural sector. AGRO focuses on several key value chains, including fruits and vegetables. The initiative has identified six priority fruits value chains: apples and pears, table grapes, strawberries, raspberries, sour cherries, and blueberries. For each of these value chains, AGRO has implemented various interventions, such as farmer training programs, infrastructure development, and market linkage facilitation. The goal is to improve the quality and quantity of produce, increase farmers' incomes, and enhance their access to markets. In the fruits value chains, AGRO has made significant progress. For example, in the apples and pears value chain, the initiative has established a network of collection centers to improve the efficiency of fruit collection and transportation. This has resulted in a 20% increase in the volume of apples and pears sold to processors and exporters. Similarly, in the table grapes value chain, AGRO has provided training to farmers on good agricultural practices, resulting in a 15% increase in grape yields. AGRO has also made progress in the vegetables value chains, including peppers and tomatoes, gherkins and cucumbers, lettuce, asparagus, medical aromatic plants, and pumpkins. The initiative has implemented various interventions, such as farmer training programs, infrastructure development, and market linkage facilitation, to improve the quality and quantity of produce and increase farmers' incomes. In addition to its focus on value chains, AGRO has also implemented several cross-cutting activities, including agricultural support services, agro job career center, environmental compliance, and gender, youth, CVE, and minority integration. These activities aim to improve the overall competitiveness of Kosovo's agricultural sector and enhance the well-being of farmers and their families. AGRO has also established a performance monitoring plan (PMP) to track its progress and ensure that it is meeting its objectives. The PMP includes a set of indicators and targets that are used to measure the initiative's performance. The PMP is reviewed quarterly to ensure that AGRO is on track to meet its objectives and to identify areas where adjustments may be needed. Overall, AGRO is making significant progress in improving Kosovo's agricultural sector. The initiative's focus on value chains, cross-cutting activities, and performance monitoring has helped to increase agricultural productivity, improve market access, and enhance the competitiveness of Kosovo's agricultural sector.