On behalf of PONT, the Connecting Natural Values and People Foundation conducted an assessment of the opportunities, and associated challenges, for local small-scale production, processing and marketing of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) in the Wider Prespa Area in Albania and North Macedonia.
The Foundation prepared a draft analysis, which summarizes findings from the review of past initiatives and actions, as well as interviews with numerous stakeholders. A number of issues and challenges were identified, which were then addressed with interventions and recommendations for the NTFPs sector.
The draft analysis was discussed in a transboundary workshop held in Stenje on 8 April. The stakeholders had dynamic discussions and exchanged further ideas to bolster the production and trade of NTFPs. The workshop was completed with a tasting of an array of wonderful local apple products prepared by the women’s group, The Spirit of Prespa.
PONT will use the results of the study to design a call for grant proposals to be launched in the second half of 2019.
Three-year grants for all the Protected Area Authorities in the Wider Prespa Area in North Macedonia and Albania were recently launched …
In early April, the Albanian Centre for Environmental Governance (ACEG) invited donors and tour operators to enjoy the beauty of Prespa …
Together with representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, PONT visited the Shar Mountain National Park and Mavrovo National …