As part of the celebration of the International Day of Rural Women, a fair featuring products made by women in agribusiness was held at the “Zahir Pajaziti” Square in Prishtina, where rural women from various municipalities across Kosovo showcased their local products. The purpose of this fair was to promote the economic empowerment of women and highlight their role in the agricultural and rural development of the country.
With traditional foods, pickled peppers, honey, and many other agricultural and food products, the women presented their goods at the fair.
From the municipality of Viti, Valdete Sahiti said that this year she has produced over twenty thousand jars of pickled peppers and ajvar.
Sahiti said that she receives more support from non-governmental organizations than from relevant institutions.
“This production is about 70 percent our own. We have been a registered business for seven years, initially as a women’s association, but gradually we saw growing interest among women to cooperate with each other, so we decided to establish an LLC. This year I have around twenty thousand jars. Apart from subsidies for cultivating peppers, we mostly receive support from NGOs,” said Sahiti.
Meanwhile, Xhemile Krasniqi from the municipality of Obiliq, who was selling local honey, emphasized that fairs are a good opportunity to promote agricultural products.
“This is not the first time we participate, either as a business or as an association, in this fair. We don’t have expenses because we keep the bees ourselves. This honey is produced at home, and we bring it here simply to promote our business. We know what we consume, and at least our customers can buy local instead of imported products. When you’re part of a fair, you’re supported in a certain way,” added Krasniqi.
Gjyla Vllahiu from the municipality of Podujeva, who was selling traditional foods, said that such fairs should be held more often in Prishtina.
Vllahiu: It’s good, not bad, but it should be held more often
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“It’s difficult, but not too much, because I’ve gotten used to it. I didn’t make too many products—some were prepared in advance, others I made recently. It’s good, not bad, but it should happen more often,” she said.
At the opening of the fair, a representative from the acting Ministry of Agriculture, Imri Demelezi, emphasized the importance that the government places on the role of women in society, particularly in the agricultural sector.
“The Government of Kosovo, specifically the Ministry of Agriculture, considers the role of women in society as essential—not only as a moral and economic principle, but also as a fundamental base for socio-cultural stability. As a government, over the years we have tried, within the circumstances and budget, to give significant attention to women in society, especially in achieving gender equality goals. As a ministry, we have developed programs within our grant and subsidy schemes, and we are trying to introduce alternative measures that highlight the role of women in society, particularly rural women,” said Demelezi.
The acting director of the Agriculture Department in the Municipality of Prishtina, Fexhri Hyseni, stated that the municipality is committed to supporting women in rural areas, although he acknowledged that there is still much work to be done.
“The Municipality of Prishtina, within its budgetary capacities, has continuously made maximum efforts to support women, especially those in rural areas, in improving their living conditions. We are aware that this support is not sufficient, and our plans and programs aim for this support to continuously increase,” said Hyseni.
Meanwhile, the head of UN Women in Kosovo, Vlora Tuzi Nushi, said that rural women are those who know the land best and face numerous daily challenges, including difficulties in accessing property and credit.
“This day is for you who know the land better than anyone and who turn every challenge into an opportunity and change. We are implementing a concrete project that has focused on municipalities affected mainly by floods in recent years. We are also working with the ministry on broader analyses. We are well aware of the challenges you face in accessing land and property rights, which remain one of the major obstacles hindering women’s entrepreneurship and business development by limiting access to credit,” she said.
The fair plays a very important role in promoting agricultural products, offering a direct opportunity for farmers and producers to showcase their work to consumers, buyers, and potential partners. Through such events, local products receive the attention they deserve, public awareness of their quality and origin increases, and new business connections are created. A fair also helps strengthen local identity and boost the rural economy by promoting traditions, techniques, and innovations in the agricultural sector.