Agri-food trends and policy: Green deal challenges and opportunities in EU pre-accession countries (Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia)

Abstract

EU pre-accession economies, including Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia, rely heavily on agriculture that is a key employer in rural areas. The main challenges in the agriculture sector remain low productivity, lack of infrastructure, and poor access to finance and markets. EU membership aspirations and the pursuit of European Green Deal (EGD) guidelines provide a yardstick to assess regional agricultural policies, emphasizing sustainable practices and organic farming. The need for balanced increase in production and demand, improved supply chains, and compliance with EU standards is evident. Although, the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans (GAWB) emphasizes the countries’ commitment towards sustainability, yet implementation is inconsistent due to low level of support for agriculture and rural development in terms of environmental benefits, and for organic agriculture specifically. Aligning policies toward the EGD, developing a reliable quality infrastructure, and increasing the financial support and capacity building interventions is crucial for sustainable transformation. Further research on economic viability and behavioral factors affecting environmentally linked policy adoption is necessary to inform policy interventions.