Città Metropolitana di Bari presents the initiative funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, aimed at strengthening short food supply chains, supporting small-scale producers and tackling food waste in the Municipality of Tirana.

On Thursday, 23 July 2026, at 10:30 a.m., a press conference will be held in the Executive Committee Room of the Metropolitan City of Bari headquarters, at Lungomare Nazario Sauro 29, to present the project “Local Food Policies in Albania: Sustainable Short Supply Chains and Farmers’ Markets”, funded by the Italian Cooperation.

The following speakers will take part in the event:

• Vito Leccese, Mayor of Città Metropolitana di Bari; 
• Antonio Stragapede, Metropolitan Councillor with responsibility for Productive Activities, the Promotion of Local Products, Agricultural Identity and Food Transition; 
• Raffaele Nicola Vitto, Head of the Department for the Promotion and Coordination of Economic, Social and Cultural Development of the Metropolitan City of Bari, Person in Charge of the Procedure and Project Manager; 
• Damiano Petruzzella, Scientific Director of CIHEAM Bari; 
• Genci Kojdheli, General Director of the Municipality of Tirana.

The initiative stems from cooperation between Italian and Albanian institutions and organisations. The partnership brings together the Metropolitan City of Bari, CIHEAM Bari, the World Farmers Markets Coalition, Banco Alimentare, the Municipality of Tirana, the Agency for the Administration of Markets of Tirana and Food Bank Albania.

The project will be implemented in Tirana with the aim of increasing access to healthy, nutritious and locally produced food. At the same time, it will strengthen the economic role of small-scale farmers and support the development of a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable urban food system.

The initiative will address the entire agri-food supply chain by enhancing farmers’ skills, promoting associations and cooperatives, valorising local products and establishing new direct-sales channels.

One of its key actions will be the creation of a new farmers’ market in Tirana.

At the same time, a supply chain for the recovery and redistribution of food surpluses will be developed through the establishment of a Food Waste Hub and the coordinated involvement of producers, markets, public institutions, third-sector organisations and citizens.

The activities will be complemented by training programmes, awareness-raising campaigns and the participatory development of an Action Plan for the implementation of Tirana’s local food policy.

The initiative will run for 36 months and has a total budget of approximately €1.63 million.

The press conference on 23 July will provide an opportunity to present the project’s objectives, activities and expected results, as well as the role of cooperation between Bari and Tirana in developing more sustainable local food policies and the first steps already taken within the project.