Second Environmental Performance Review of Albania

taken. In addition, NES2, under MoEFWA’s competency, encompasses prevention of soil erosion and theappropriate measures that need to be taken, including reforestation.(a) The Centre of Agriculture Technology Transfer of Fushe-Kruje (that plays the role of Soil ScienceInstitute) has the institutional framework, administrative capacities and the database to carry out thejob.(b) This recommendation is fully met. The Law On the Protection of Agriculture Land, No. 9244, of17.06.2004, has been prepared and approved jointly by MAFCP and MoEFWA.(c) The need for a strategy and action plan to combat soil erosion is included in the national legalframework as well as in several programmes. A Strategy and Action Plan to Combat Soil Erosion hasbeen an integral part of National Reports of Albania to the UNCCD. However, the enforcement of suchprogrammes and plans is still weak.Recommendation 10.5:The Ministry of Agriculture and Food needs to strengthen its extension services, particularly for small farmers.The extension information centres should promote organic farming and low-input farming and provide information on a range of critical issues, including, for example, agricultural waste management, sanitarymeasures and protection of waters.There is no information on the implementation of this recommendation. Agricultural extension services areestablished within MoAFCP. However, there is only one such extension service that is a public body. MAFCPhas a unit named Counselling Service. Part of its job is to provide support for organic farming as well asassistance on a number of issues.Recommendation 10.6:The Government should take the necessary steps to establish certification procedures for organic farming meeting international eco-standards.There is no information on the implementation of this recommendation. The 2011 Law on EnvironmentalProtection, that will enter into force in January 2013, includes some measures for the implementation of ecolabelling.The Counselling Service assists farmers in the process of conversion from traditional to organicfarming. Over 100 farms and vineyards are certified organic (for produce including olives, vegetables, wine,etc.). These certified farms are included in the subsidy schemes that are part of the policies promoted byMAFCP.Chapter 11: COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT (INCLUDING TOURISM)Recommendation 11.1:(a) The Government, together with the Ministry of Territorial Adjustment and Tourism, should stimulateimplementation of the integrated coastal zone management plan for the entire coastal region. All necessaryregulatory instruments to implement the plan should be adopted as soon as possible;(b) To facilitate implementation, the Government should establish a special inter-ministerial coastal zonemanagement committee, which consists of relevant ministries and local authorities.The Government, specifically MoPWTT as the lead agency, is implementing the Integrated Coastal ZoneManagement and Clean-up Project (ICZMCP) in the southern coastal zone of Albania, with the objective ofcontributing to sustainable tourism development in this area. Under the ICZMCP and institutional capacitybuilding,the Southern Coastal Development Plan (SCDP) has been prepared, which aims at promotingsustainable natural resource management and cultural heritage preservation while minimizing the negativeenvironmental impacts of local development and infrastructure. The SCDP was approved by the NationalCouncil of Territorial Adjustment on 17 July 2008. The SCDP is an instrument to promote sustainable tourismas a principal catalyst for economic growth in the regional economy. Subordinate to the regional SCDP, localdevelopment plans (including land use plans) for the six municipalities and communes in the southern coastalarea would allow municipalities and communes to improve their land use planning regulations and issuebuilding permits based on transparent building regulations and clear land use zoning.171