USAID Shines a Light on Kosovos Female Farmers

Recognition empowers women to catalyze the modernization of farming

PRISTINA, KosovoUSAID and its partners highlighted the vital but largely unrecognized role female farmers play in the economic development of Kosovo during an annual gala event held Nov. 21. The Woman Farmer Day conference drew more than 200 female farmers from across Kosovo. The event, now in its second year, concluded with a ceremony to name Kosovos female farmers of the year, singling out two women for their achievements in production and processing, respectively. This award buoys my enthusiasm and gives me the strength to go forward, and to work even harder, said Xhevrije Doroci, one of the two winners. Doroci pledged to earmark her award toward the construction of a cold storage unit on her farm near Mitrovica, in northern Kosovo, where she produces jams, relishes and pickles.

Kosovo Women Farmers of the Year Sulbije Sahiti (left) and Xhevrije Doroci display their awards while surrounded by their peers.

USAID and Kosovos Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development jointly sponsored the event to foster broader public recognition of the influence and contribution of rural women in building prosperity. KEP, a local microfinance lender, provided the two 3,000 Euro awards. In the field, women play a very active role, but its still not discernible, says Emine Kelmendi, coordinator of the human rights unit within Kosovos agriculture ministry. In Kosovo, agriculture accounts for more than one-third of employment, and 15 percent of gross domestic product. Women, however, own fewer than 6% of all agribusinesses, USAID Mission Director Maureen A. Shauket said.

Dorocis award recognized her achievements in food processing.

This award buoys my enthusiasm and gives me the strength to go forward, and to work even harder.
~Xhevrije Doroci, Kosovos 2013 female farmer of the year (processing)

The numbers might be small but the impact that women are having is powerful, and today we are here to celebrate the women leaders who are being role models for others, Shauket said. USAID, through its New Opportunities for Agriculture (NOA) project, is working to modernize Kosovos agriculture economy. It seeks to do so in part through changing the mindset of its farmers, said NOA director Mark Wood. Men, for generations, have taken the lead, but can be bound by traditional farming methods that often can be much improved upon using more modern ways, Wood said. Women, on the other hand, can work as catalysts, because they are not so bound by tradition.

However, to be effective, a catalyst must be present, active and seen, Wood added. While Kosovos female farmers already are present and active, they need increased visibility, he said. A higher profile also can open access to training, workshops and credit, Shauket said. With the right tools to support them, we know that women make an incredible impact on their families, on their communities and on the future of Kosovo, Shauket said. Sulbije Sahiti, the second farmer-of-the-year winner, plans to spend her award on a greenhouse heater. That should allow her to grow flowers and ornamental plants year round on her farm outside Lipjan, in central Kosovo. I have seen directly the link between excellence in farming and the ability to support ones own family, said Sahiti, who grew up one of 11 children on land farmed by her father. She now supports a family of four, as well as her invalid husband. USAID has supported Kosovo agriculture since the end of the 199899 war. Through USAID/NOA, it has identified a number of leading women farmers who have been successful in adopting new technologies and processes. Many, like Doroci and Sahiti, have been active in training and mentoring their fellow female farmers. The Kosovo government also has increased its backing of female farmers: It now supports 435 such farmers, up from the nine it assisted just three years ago, said agriculture minister Blerand Stavileci. This increase is far more significant than it is symbolic, Stavileci said.

The numbers might be small but the impact that women are having is powerful, and today we are here to celebrate the women leaders who are being role models for others, said USAID/Kosovo Mission Director, Maureen A. Shauket.