Consultancy Projects

JICA, 2017 – 2021

JICA, 2017 – 2021, Project on “Smallholder Families’ Financial Inclusion in Albania”, subcontractor of Kaihatsu Management Consulting, Inc. ( the lead partner ).


FAO, 2017-2018

FAO, 2017-2018, Support to MARDWA on the implementation of SDGs and feasibility study for the engagement of local small-scale and family producers and private sector for the supply and provision of foods for procurement to selected primary schools in Albania.


Institute for Economic Sciences (Serbia) 2017-2018

Project supported by The University of Illinois at Chicago, funded by Bloomberg “Accelerating Progress on Tobacco Taxes in Low-and Middle Income countries”.


WBG 2017

Complementary Feasibility Study for Irrigation Scheme.


UNDP inter

Dev project, 2017, Local level response to employment generation and integrated territorial development.


DSA 2016-2017

Identifying Capacity Gaps in the Agribusiness Sector in Albania.


KSA (Saudi Arabia) 2016-2017

Olive Products manufacturing and Marketing Complex-Feasibility Study.


UNWOMEN 2016

“Economic diversification of women living in rural areas in Albania”.


GIZ, 2016

Study about Employment Promotion (GIZ ProSME/ProINVEST project).


SEDEV (financed by EBRD), 2016

Apprasial of potential of agrifood recycling sector.


GIZ technical co-operation programmes 2014

Development of a methodology for a cost-benefit analysis of extension services in.


2012 Afghanistan

Provincial Situation Analysis for Balkh, Bamyan, Herat & Parwan provinces.


SNV, 2011-2012

Design of economic development strategy of Korca with focus on the agrifood subsector including market research for the main Korca agrifood products.


GIZ, 2012

Agrifood costing and gross margin analysis, 2012.


MADA (Mountainous Albanian Development Agency), 2011

Project Evaluation.


SNV – ALCDF, 2011

Project Evaluation.


Increasing revenues of poor rural households in Malesia e Madhe

Increasing revenues of poor rural households in Malesia e Madhe by supporting the Cultivation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 2010 – 2011, financed by Open Society.


Assessment of impact of Albanian fiscal policies on Albanian agrifood products competitiveness, 2011

Assessment of impact of Albanian fiscal policies on Albanian agrifood products competitiveness, 2011.


Analysis of the main agriculture sectors with focus on market development, 2010, contracted and financed by Italian Cooperation


Market research and value chain analysis of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 2010, contracted by Albania Agriculture Competitiveness Project, USAID funded


Analysis of social, economic and political environment in Albania in 2011, 2010 and 2009 for SDC


Survey and analysis of Agriculture Service Providers, 2009, contracted by SNV


Market research and value chain analysis of apples, 2009, contracted by SNV


Vegetables market study, 2009, contracted by EBRD


Market survey of processed fruit and vegetables, 2009, contracted by World Vision


Study on local resources in the prefecture of Elbasan, 2009, contracted by World Vision


Study on local agrifood products in the prefecture of Elbasan, 2009, contracted by World Vision


Market research and value chain analysis and project proposal writing for olive and olive oil subsector, 2009, contracted by FAO


Market research and value chain analysis of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 2008, contracted by SNV


Market research and value chain analysis of nuts, 2008, contracted by SNV


Market research and value chain analysis of nuts, 2008, contracted by SNV


Market research and value chain analysis of olive oil and table olives, 2008, contracted by Albania Agriculture Competitiveness Project, USAID funded

Research projects (since 2010)

Transboundary ecological connectivity of Alps and Dinaric Mountains

Project period: 1.3.2020 – 31.8.2022

Interreg Adrion, 11 partners from 7 countries (Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece)

Objective: Enhance the capacity in transnationally tackling environmental vulnerability, fragmentation, and the safeguarding of ecosystem services in the Adriatic-Ionian area.
The Interreg ADRION DINALPCONNECT project intervention objective is to strengthen transnational and sectoral cooperation to improve EC throughout Dinaric Mountains connecting them with the Alps. Achiving this goal will enable long term biodiversity protection, in view of current and future climatic changes and as a tool for sustainable development.
Ecological connectivity (EC) enables processes like gene flow, migration and dispersal of living organisms thus counteracting negative effects of habitat fragmentation and climate change. Substantial part of Balkan Peninsula is affected by difficult political and economic circumstances leading to transboundary barriers which pose challenges for EC. More in general, both Dinaric Mountains and Alps are exceptionally rich in biodiversity, but threatened by habitat fragmentation and loss.
To improve EC, eleven DINALPCONNECT partners from seven countries will establish a network of Pilot regions to strengthen transboundary linkages between Natura2000 sites, protected areas and bordering non-protected areas, where EC will be explored and consolidated. Joint action plans for improved EC of transboundary habitats in Pilot Regions will be based on guidelines for agricultural and forestry practices protecting biodiversity.
To support this, existing EU and national agriculture and forestry policies will be examined, giving suggestions for harmonisation with EU legislation. A socio-economic perspective will be included by exploring current pro-biodiversity businesses in the Pilot Regions, preparing guidelines for their development and a feasibility study of setting up learning and trading platform in the project area. At the macro-regional level, project partners will collect spatial data to analyse current EC and identify EC hot-spots (corridors or stepping stones) and barriers. The project will deliver a Strategy for ecological connectivity throughout Dinaric Mountains connecting them with the Alps, which will be adopted by policy makers.
In the Albanian-Greek transboundary area, DINALPCONNECT will support actions leading to the establishment and enhancement of Ecological Connectivity between the National Park of Bredhi i Hotovës, in Albania and the Vikos–Aoös National Park and Tymfi-Gkamila Mountain in Greece; these three sites are all part of Natura 2000 network.
The effort to bolster Ecological Connectivity between these protected areas will also involve cross-border territories and communities neighbouring the protected areas, first of all the Municipality of Permet. DINALPCONNECT will also support local communities in taking up natural capital preservation as a key driver for local development, stimulating initiatives and triggering opportunities for social and economic development.

July – November 2016

5“Clientelism, Corruption and Elections in the Western Balkans: A Comparative Analysis of Causes and Effect”, financed by Swiss Development Cooperation through RRPP Program, Lead Partner: DSA.

July 2014 – June 2016

“Mapping Clientelism and its Causes: Rents, Rent-seeking and Democracy in Kosovo and Albania (1998-2013)”, financed by Swiss Development Cooperation through RRPP Program, implemented by Center for Political Courage and Development Solutions Associates.

July 2012 – June 2013

“Political and equity implications of intergovernmental transfers-the case of Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia”, financed by Swiss Cooperation, financed by Swiss Development Cooperation through RRPP Program, implemented by Development Solutions Associates, Southeast European University, Central European Policy and Politics.

January – December 2013

“Rural Women’s Access to Land and Property Rights in Albania”, financed by Open Society Foundation (OSF).

January – December 2011

“Agriculture land rights in Albania and their impact on agriculture land market and investments”, funded by CERGE-EI, implemented by Development Solutions Associates.

Feb. 2010 – January 2011

“Assessing land rights security in the context of agriculture and social development in rural Albania”, financed by Swiss Development Cooperation through RRPP Program, implemented by Development Solutions Associates.