In September 2021, the members of the Department of Economics and Development from the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences visited their counterparts from the Agricultural University of Tirana as an initiative supported by the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility project. It was the very first visit in two years of project duration, after various meetings and teaching activities carried out online due to Covid-19 restrictions. Very beneficial was to meet in person particularly with associate professors Dr. Drini Imami and Dr. Edvin Zhllima and their teammates as well as the dean the Faculty of Economy and Agribusiness. Face-to-face meetings resulted in a proclamation to continue in mutual cooperation in prioritizing common research topics, cooperation in teaching and curriculum development, and preparation of projects proposals on agricultural and agri-food chain development in Albania and the neighbouring countries of the Western Balkans. High interest was also evident in joint teaching activities, co-supervision of PhD students, organisation of joint workshops and conferences, applying for international projects etc. The teaching activities in bachelor, master and PhD program were an important part of the visit. Furthermore, to get more insights into the agri-food system in Albania, the FTZ/FTA team visited smallholder field and processing facilities of wine and olive oil producers in the coastal region, and typical farming systems combining livestock and crop production with agrotourism in central mountainous regions.
