Dear Prime Minister, dear Ministers, dear Rectors, dear Ambassador, dear Professors, dear Students,
Since its foundation in 1951, this University has produced generations of professionals without whom Albanian agriculture would not be what it is today, developed and productive. Agronomists, zootechnicians, forestry engineers, agricultural economists have worked in policy-making and alongside farmers and stockbreeders in every corner of Albania.
Today, we are proud of a whole generation of professionals who have made a significant contribution to Albania, but not only to Albania. I am personally honoured to be a part of them as a member of the Council of the Wise and I thank them for their contribution.
Today, more than ever, the challenges of agricultural economic development require a change in the way we approach solutions.
Agriculture in Albania and around the world is increasingly facing the need for an academic and professional response in many dimensions.
This is true both in terms of the rapid response of adapting innovation and science, but also in terms of linking the latter to policy-making, in order to enable the timely adoption of concrete measures and contribute to the economic development of the country.
In this process, increasing the knowledge of the younger generations through quality education based on the best world experiences is a very important step.
Since 2021, with the support of Prime Minister Edi Rama, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Education have worked very closely and with great commitment to reach today’s agreement. An agreement that will benefit around 6,000 students at the Agricultural University of Tirana. These students and others who will join this university will see and experience a radical change in the entire structure of teaching and learning under the successful model of BOKU, one of the leading universities in the field of natural sciences.
When we signed the intergovernmental agreement to support the BOKU-UBT cooperation project together with Ogerta and our Austrian colleagues, Ministers Martin Polaschek and Norbert Totschnig, in Vienna a month ago, we laid an important foundation stone not only for the transformation of UBT, but also for the future of Albanian agriculture. This initiative is an excellent opportunity for all young Albanians, for those who have not yet entered the path of knowledge in this sector, for those who are currently studying in our vocational schools. Without forgetting the current students of the prestigious Agricultural University.
I am also very convinced that the next four years will be a fantastic opportunity for our academic staff, who, together with the esteemed professors of BOKU University, will transform both the teaching structure and the scientific research unit and, above all, the direct link between the latter and economic development.

Dear participants,

The Albanian government has a clear goal for 2030, which is directly linked to the process of European integration and the alignment of all legislation and the rural economy to international markets.

In terms of numbers, we at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have set ambitious targets for 2030:
• $1 billion in exports to elite markets;
• $2 billion increase in domestic food supply;
• Multi-sectoral development through excellence in 1000 agro-tourism and direct impact on youth employment and women’s engagement in rural areas;
• Increasing the quality and value of the product “Made in Albania”.

These objectives, which are not easy to achieve but are perfectly feasible, coincide with the need to overcome the current problems and those inherited from the past 32 years, which still limit the economic development of farms and the widespread implementation of investments in modern technology.

The great fragmentation of the land, the lack of desire to unite and the small size of the farm will not prevent us from achieving the objectives we have set ourselves, because it is the time and the market that demand this development, and we have taken all the appropriate and timely steps to respond to this age.

Today, we have managed to be proud of Albanian products in 80 elite markets, with an export value that is increasing both in quantity and value. Even in the month of April 2024, our exports recorded an increase of 28% in quantity and 9.5% in value. Nevertheless, we are convinced that the challenges facing the agricultural sector, such as overcoming the threats of climate change and improving soil reading with digital tools, will lead us to intervene with effective programs. However, we cannot do this without the involvement of the academy and the young generation, who will have to join us at all, levels.

And here I have the opportunity, as I have done every time I have stood on this prestigious podium, to call on all students to get involved in politics, because we need them more than ever.

There are about 170 vacancies in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development that require professionals such as: agronomists, veterinarians, zootechnicians, aquaculturists, etc. and only this honourable University can meet these requirements in the optimal time and with the right quality.

We believe that for all young people whose lives are linked to the economic development of rural areas, today’s event is a fantastic opportunity to think about their academic development at the Agrarian University. Contributing to the dimension of a sustainable economy, scale, automation and innovation, expanding international trade capacities, guaranteeing quality according to European standards. The history of the Agricultural University of Tirana has undoubtedly been a success story since the first day of its foundation and will continue to be so on its 100th anniversary. The prestigious Austrian university BOKU has undoubtedly given this institution an honourable position in Albanian higher education.

Thank you once again for your trust in this collaboration.

Dear colleagues, dear professors and academics, let’s make it happen!
Thank you, Prime Minister, for being the promoter of this very important process and I hope that we will continue this cooperation in other fields of knowledge for as long as possible!

Thank you and good luck!