Albania Digital Agriculture and Rural Transformation (DART) Joint Programme

Duration: September 2024 – September 2027

Allocated by Joint SDG Fund: $2,640,955 USD

Co-funding: $659,044 USD

Total Budget: $3.3 million USD

Implementing Agencies: FAO, ILO, ITU

Lead National Partners: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation; Innovation and Excellence Agency

A Bold Leap Toward Albania’s Digital Future

Agriculture has long been the backbone of Albania’s economy, yet many rural communities remain underserved, facing limited digital infrastructure, shrinking labor forces, and unequal access to public services. To break these barriers, DART (Digital Agriculture and Rural Transformation) emerges as a flagship UN initiative that brings together innovation, equity, and sustainability.

Launched by FAO, ILO, and ITU under the leadership of the United Nations in Albania, and supported by the Joint SDG Fund’s Digital Transformation Window, DART is designed to bridge the rural digital divide and unlock the full potential of Albania’s small-scale farmers, especially women, youth, and underserved communities.

“This collaboration is exactly the forward-thinking action intended when Member States adopted the Pact for the Future. DART will demonstrate how innovation can deliver tangible results to vulnerable people,” - Fiona McCluney, UN Resident Coordinator in Albania.

Why It Matters

In rural Albania, many farms lack the digital tools needed to thrive in today’s fast-changing world. Productivity remains low, youth continue to migrate, and climate change adds growing pressure to already fragile systems.

DART addresses these critical challenges head-on, with a bold, inclusive vision: to transform how agriculture is practiced, supported, and accessed through the power of digital innovation. By 2027, it will lay the groundwork for a future where Albania’s countryside is not left behind, but lifted forward.

“Through DART, we aim to use digital tools as catalysts to enhance transparency, improve production efficiency, support regulatory compliance, and save costs across the agricultural sector,” - Anila Denaj, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Key Components

1. A National Digital Agriculture Strategy and Action Plan

A comprehensive, farmer-focused roadmap aligned with EU standards that sets the direction for sustainable, inclusive, and tech-enabled agricultural development.

2. An Enhanced Albanian Farmers’ Portal 

A modernized e-platform that puts digital public services in the hands of farmers, offering market insights, agricultural tools, training materials, and user-friendly e-services that reach even the most remote villages.

3. Capacity Development for Digital Inclusion

Targeted training for 7,500 women, 180 students, 120 young farmers, and public employees, building the digital and agricultural skills needed to thrive in tomorrow’s rural economy.

Transformative Impact by 2027

• 321,000+ farms with improved access to digital services
• 15,000+ farmers benefiting directly from upgraded platforms
• 400 rural users and 40 institutions with enhanced digital capacity
• Empowered women, mobilized youth, and revitalized communities
• Tangible progress across 7 Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, and 13

A Shared Commitment to Albania’s Rural Revival

DART is more than a digital upgrade. It’s a catalyst for systemic change, reimagining how services are designed and delivered, and how rural communities can build resilience in the face of demographic and environmental pressures.

“In our role of leading partner, we have a commitment to deliver the ambitious objectives of the programme without forgetting the context of Albanian agriculture, so rich with small-scale farmers and potential, yet vulnerable to climate and demographic pressures,”-  Raimund Jehle, FAO Representative in Albania

This programme is implemented in close coordination with the Government of Albania and supported by funding from the European Union, Sweden, and Spain, reflecting a strong collective vision to modernize Albania’s agriculture and rural development systems.

“Digitalisation enables administrations to support agriculture efficiently, and helps producers increase competitiveness while reducing ecological footprints,” - Hubert Perr, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Albania.

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