Pristina, 26 May - Today, the European Commission Liaison Office in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development and the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning has launched a land use project of € 1.5 million. Its aim is to contribute to productivity increase and the optimal use of agricultural land through assistance to land reform and sound rural spatial planning.

\"In the process of reconciling growth in agricultural productivity with equity and poverty reduction Kosovo should consider promoting environmentally sustainable farming practices, maintenance of the countryside and the environment,” said Kjartan Björnsson, Head of Operations at the EC Liaison Office.

Currently Kosovo confronts land use problems, which seriously hamper sustainable development of the agriculture as well as the rural development in general in line with   environment protection. The current situation in rural areas is characterised by subsistence farming, land fragmentation, uncontrolled construction, and pollution of agricultural lands.

The government of Kosovo faces issues of insufficiently harmonised legislation on the usage of agricultural, stagnant land consolidation processes and non transparent land market. Moreover, the implementation of land policies lacks viable tools for preventing illegal buildings in rural areas, as well as Geographical Information System (GIS) based information on land use parcels.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development and the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning along with seven selected municipalities will be the major direct beneficiaries. At the same time, planned awareness and information campaigns, particularly on illegal construction in rural areas and land consolidation, will contribute to a better understanding of natural land resources in Kosovo.