Click. Grow. Thrive: how digital tools are transforming the rural future in Albania

Across the rugged highlands and sunlit lowlands of Albania, a quiet but powerful transformation is underway. Farmers, especially women and young people, are beginning to adopt digital tools and approaches, gradually reshaping traditional roles and practices. From precision agriculture in Korça to peer learning in Manëz, rural communities are opening up to innovation and exchanging knowledge in ways that previously were out of reach.

Driving this transformation is the Digital Agriculture for Rural Transformation (DART) project, a joint initiative of the Government of Albania and the United Nations through contributions from the European Union, Spain and Sweden. More than just a technology rollout, DART is a bold reimagining of rural potential designed to make digital agriculture inclusive, strategic and accessible to all.

Led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Develoment of Albania, it aims to develop a national digital agriculture strategy aligned with European Union standards, enhance digital public services via the Albanian Farmers’ Portal, and build digital capacities among small-scale farmers, students, vocational schools and public-sector employees.

“Digitalization isn’t just a tool,” says Lorena Pullumbi, Assistant FAO Representative in Albania. “It’s an accelerator for agrifood transformation and a key driver for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In a vital and dynamic sector like agriculture, it would be a missed opportunity not to harness its full potential. That’s the backbone of our vision in designing DART.”

The challenge: a digital divide at the roots

More than 41 percent of Albanians live in rural areas, where agriculture contributes 19 percent of the gross domestic product and provides over a third of all jobs. As Albania advances towards European Union accession, women and youth in these areas are increasingly seen as key drivers of innovation. Yet many, such as the elderly and smallholders in remote areas, still face challenges in accessing the internet, essential information, e-services and markets. Unlocking their full potential means investing in inclusive digital solutions that leave no one behind.

Bridging this divide requires more than technology alone – it starts with policy. Clear national strategies on agriculture, including the country’s Smart Specialization Strategy and Digital Agenda, are laying the groundwork, setting a shared vision for inclusive digital transformation. With the right policies in place, Albania can unlock the full potential of digital agriculture: modernizing production, boosting rural incomes and improving livelihoods across the countryside.

The DART project is helping turn this vision into action.

The intervention: one vision, three pillars, many partners

The United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office played a pivotal role in DART’s creation, providing vision, policy coherence and interagency coordination. By aligning FAO, ILO and ITU with the country’s national development goals, European Union priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals, the office turned “One United Nations” from a philosophy into a practical model for delivery.

DART merges global expertise with local leadership through three strategic pillars:

• Policy – supporting the country’s first Strategy on Digital Agriculture and Rural Transformation, aligned with European Union accession and national development goals.
• Services – upgrading the Farmers’ Portal, a national e-gov platform that connects rural users to subsidies, updates and online applications.
• Skills – training more than 7 500 rural women, 400 farmers, 180 vocational students and 120 rural youth in digital literacy, e-agriculture and smart farming tools.

DART is built on an inclusive foundation, targeting those most at risk of digital exclusion and ensuring that the country’s transformation is equitable as well as innovative.

Voices of change: real people, real impact

As digital tools begin to take root across Albania, the Farmers’ Portal is emerging as a vital platform, connecting people to services, information and each other.

“Technology tells me what my farm needs, and it works,” says Ylver Bylykbashi, an apple grower in Korça. By adopting precision tools such as sensors and smart irrigation systems, he’s improved yields and reduced waste. “Feeding the system with data, it guides me,” he says. “This has changed my productivity.” For Ylver, the Farmers’ Portal is more than a service hub – it’s a platform for sharing knowledge and raising standards across the farming community.

“The wrong information nearly cost me everything,” says Ergys Sevdari, a farmer from Dibër Region, who cultivates fruits and raises cows. He once applied banned pesticides sold by an unscrupulous vendor. That near catastrophe taught him the value of trustworthy information. “If we could use the portal to connect, to exchange, to stay informed, it would change how we work,” he says, speaking for the 50-member farmer group he coordinates.

“Connection with other farmers means everything to me,” says Manjola Hafizi, a raspberry farmer in Manëz. The first woman in her village to grow raspberries commercially, Manjola believes in collective growth. “Being able to exchange experiences with other producers is one of the most important things,” she adds. Her idea, an AgroBot Forum within the Farmers’ Portal, envisions a space in which farmers can share challenges and innovations and support each other.

For Ervin Hajdaraga, Head of Agricultural Technology Transfer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Albania, “the biggest challenge isn’t introducing technology, it’s making sure it reaches the farm.” Through Agricultural Technology Transfer Centres, he sees how tailored, accessible content, such as step-by-step videos, can democratize know-how. “The portal can become a digital extension service,” he says, “making knowledge available to every farmer, regardless of geography.”

Students deserve the tools and training that match the future of agriculture, say Matilda Canaku and Erina Disho, directors of vocational education and training (VET) schools in Golem and Cërrik, respectively. From outdated chalkboards to digital mapping and coding, vocational schools are on the frontlines of future-proofing Albanian agriculture. “We expect DART to support both equipment and training,” Matilda says. Erina adds: “Being part of the strategy design process helps us voice what VET schools really need.”

Tangible gains: from individuals to institutions

DART’s early results are promising. So far, more than 500 farmers, educators and local advisory staff already have engaged through surveys, focus groups and participatory assessments. Additionally, over 25 local institutions are actively shaping strategy priorities, Farmers’ Portal design, and capacity-building efforts. By the programme’s end, 7 500 rural women will have been reached through targeted digital training in smart agriculture.

But beyond metrics lies the deeper change: a more resilient, gender-responsive and European Union-aligned agricultural sector.

“We knew from the beginning that digital tools alone wouldn’t transform lives,” says Arsita Mati, National Coordinator of the DART Programme. “The real change comes from trust, co-creation, and designing around people’s needs. Every feature on the portal, every training session – it’s all built with the communities, not just for them.”

What’s next: a future rooted in opportunity

As vocational students code apps, raspberry farmers build networks, and orchard owners harness data, one thing is clear: The rural transformation of Albania is underway, and it’s being led from the ground up. With DART planting seeds of confidence, skills and connection, a new generation of rural women, youth and agricultural leaders is reshaping what it means to farm in the twenty-first century.