AGRICULTURAL LAND UTILISATION PROJECT

Project Identification No 05KOS01/06/005

Report on the

ALUP MID TERM ACTOR WORKSHOP

Villa Germië, Pristina

7 February 2007

Rutger Kuiper

February 2007

1. Introduction

In accordance to with the plans Inception Report, a Mid term Actor Workshop was organised half way the project duration, aiming the appraisal of the results of the first project year and the planning of the second project year. Objective was to evaluate the approach and the progress, to learn from the experiences and to discuss strategic issues which are relevant for the second year. The workshop was kept rather small, about 60 people were invited, and involved those people who play an important role in the project. Thus, the combined expertise was “recruited” of all those who know the project.

The set up of the programme was threefold:

· Opening, introduction and short individual presentations by key ALUP experts

· Discussions in 4 groups on pre-determined questions resulting in recommendations. The character of the discussions willl not be very technical, but have a more strategic character on a higher level of abstraction than in daily practice of the project.

· Plenary session of the Workshop for presentation and short discussion of the recommendations.

2. Programme

The short presentations were delivered by

· Xhevat Azemi on ”Position LoAL, achievements so far and work to be done”

· Niels Haldrup on “Land consolidation, status, major findings and prospects”,

· Anke Kusel / Ardiana Zhuri on “Rural land management and environmental planning in Kosovo, towards a practical model”

· Rutger Kuiper on “Questions to the discussion groups posed and explained”

However, the above points 2 and 3 were by far most important. In addition, the active set up was welcomed by the participants, given the almost unanimous appreciation received at the end of the workshop. The discussion groups had been formed beforehand, and moderators were selected with adequate care.

3. Discussion Groups

Four discussion groups were formed and charged with the following questions.

Group 1, legal context of land use

Question: “What is needed to implement and make work the Law on Agricultural Land, and what can ALUP do in 2007 to assist that?”

Moderator: Rutger Kuiper

Group 2, land consolidation

Question: “What is needed to generate a self-sustaining stream of land consolidations and what can ALUP do in 2007 to assist that?”

Moderator: Fatmir Selimi

Group 3, Municipal rural planning

Question: “What is needed to have adopted rural land management planning in each municipality as a normal practice, and what can ALUP do to support that during 2007 ?”

Moderator: Conrad Hoyos

Group 4, Financial instruments for interventions in the rural area

Questions: How to proceed from plans and strategies (e.g. ARDP 2007 – 2013, MAFRD irrigation strategy and others) to implementable projects of which the financing lines are secured, and what can ALUP do in 2007 to support this?”

Moderator: Peter Oldham

After the discussions a plenary session was conducted during which each group presented its findings. These findings were shortly discussed.

4. Details

Further details are included in the appendices of this report.

Appendix 1. Participants

Appendix 2. Reports of the Discussion Groups

Appendix 3 Presentations

5. Subjective impression

The overall – subjective - impression is the following. The atmosphere was good and animated, few people left during the workshop, even after lunch, and we received a lot of positive remarks. The discussion groups comprised the central event, each being charged with a question on a particular aspect of land strategy and its implications for ALUP in its 2nd year. These discussion groups performed beyond my expectations and came up with substantial results and recommendations. This is due to the interest and enthusiasm of the participants, but I think also due to the quality of the moderators.

Attendance was good, not only in terms of quantity, but also which people attended: a group well representing the spectrum of land use in Kosovo. The P.S. opened the workshop. This was very much appreciated, since it gives weight to the event. In addition, he knows and understands the project well and played a constructive role. He left only at the end of the morning.

The workshop indeed had the character of a Mid Term Actor Workshop: only those people who are really involved and/or really important for the project, were invited. There was little need for basic explanations since everyone knew the subject and the project well.

APPENDIX 1, List of Participants, arranged per discussion group

Group I – Legal framework	Group III – Municipal planning and on planning of interventions
1. Idriz Gashi / MAFRD 2. Shefki Zeqiri / MAFRD 3. Hajzer Bublaku / KCA 4. Vjosa Vela / MESP DPH 5. Abdullah Nishori / Iber-Lepenc RIC 6. Arbenita Hasani IS to MAFRD 7. Ismajl Hetemaj / MESP 8. Rutger Kuiper / ALUP 9. Xhevat Azemi / ALUP 10. Hysni Nura / MAFRD 11. Ismet Fejzullahu / MAFRD 12. Deme Abazi / Drini i Bardhe RIC 13. Nazmi Hasanaj / CARITAS Austria	14. Ajet Sejdiu / Valuation Comittee Klinë/Klina 15. Rexhep Rexhepi / Municipality Klinë/Klina 16. Njazi Tershnjncu / Sharr Prodhimi Dragash/Dragaš 17. Flamur Sulejmani / Municipality Dragash/Dragaš 18. Fetije Muriqi / MAFRD 19. Arber Rrecaj / MESP – ISP 20. Riza Murseli / MESP – ISP 21. Renato Cumani / FAO Project 22. Ardiana Zhuri / ALUP 23. Conrad Hoyos / ALUP 24. Anke Küsel / ALUP 25. Jens Hauser / ALUP
Group II – Land consolidation .	Group IV – Financing instruments
26. Bajram Ymeri / MAFRD 27. Perparim Ahmeti / KCA 28. Niels Otto Haldrup / ALUP 29. Fatmir Selimi / ALUP 30. Avni Ramadani / ALUP Project 31. Hyzri Llabjani / KTA 32. Ndue Muqaj / Mun.of Gjakova 33. Muje Shabani / Mun.of Gjakova 34. Valbona Naka / Mun.of Gjakovë/Ðakovica 35. Musa Gashi / Mun.of Klinë/Klina 36. Daut Berisha / Mun.of Klinë/Klina 37. Martin Rexhaj / Farmer Videje 38. Jahja Kadria / ‘Radoniqi ‘ RIC 39. Simon Deda / Mun.of Gjakovë/Ðakovica 40. Faton Nagavci / Intercooperation 41. Albert Wanowic / USAID KCBS 42. Milazim Mulolli / USAID KCBS	43. Qazim Kukalaj /MAFRD 44. Binak Krasniqi /MAFRD 45. Afrim Frrokaj /MAFRD 46. Jusuf Salihu / MAFRD 47. Sladjana Milic /MAFRD 48. Veton Hajdini / KTA 49. Halim Shemsedini / Mun.of Dragash/Dragaš 50. Vito Intini / World Bank 51. Peter Oldham / Pillar IV UNMIK 52. Miguel Angelo / SPUVESK 53. Andt Von Stein /Technical Support to MAFRD 54. Ekrem Gjokaj / MAFRD 55. Robert Marjakaj / MAFRD 56. Enver Tahiri / Mun.of Dragash 57. Igor Dancetovic / MAFRD North 58. Goran Markovic / MAFRD 59. Amora Fesanda / UNMIK 60. Skender Kaçiu / ALUP
Total number of people invited 78 Total number of participants present 60 Total number of invitees not present but replaced 10 Total number of invitees not present 18

APPENDIX 2, Reports on recommendations of Discussion Groups

Appendix 2.1.

Report

on Discussion Group I – Legislative Issues

Mid-term Workshop ALUP , 08.02.2007

Time: Thursday, 08 February 2007

Venue: Villa Gërmia, Pristina

Participants: See appendix 1

Group moderator: Rutger Kuiper – Project Team Leader

The following main issues have been discussed in 1st Working Group:

- How to implement the Law on Agricultural Land (LoAL)?

- Is there sufficiently law enforcement in Kosovo?

Questions derived from the main issues:

- Is there sufficient political support for law implementation?

- What monitoring mechanisms does the Government have on law implementation

- How far does sound planning facilitate the municipalities in the implementation of Law on Agricultural Land?

- Are there programs on law implementation?

The following participants took part in the discussion on the above issues, posed by the group moderator: Shefki Zeqiri- MAFRD, Avdullah Nishori – “Ibër-Lepenc”, Vjosa Vela-MESP, Demë Abazi- “Drini i Bardhë” Irrigation Company, Ismail Hetemi-MESP, Idriz Gashi- MAFRD and