The impact of migration and remittances on agriculture and rural development in Kosovo and Albania

The majority of the international migratory outflow from Kosovo and Albania originates in those countries’ rural areas, which are characterized by low per capita income, low agricultural productivity, and high unemployment rates, and where small subsistence family farms with primitive systems of cultivation, high levels of wastage and poor on-farm practices are the norm. Migration towards urban areas or more lucrative western labor markets is becoming an integral part of the rural households’ livelihood strategies.

The overall objectives of this research are: a) to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of international migration on agriculture and rural development in Kosovo and Albania; b) to quantify such impact on rural income inequality and poverty, agricultural productivity and on-farm and off-farm investments, and c) to provide policy recommendations on how international migration can be leveraged for the development of low-income rural areas in Albania and Kosovo.

The study aims to use both primary data collected through  field visits in the designated rural areas, as well as two sets of existent micro-level data from Albania and Kosovo (the Living Standard Measurement Survey – LSMS 2012 for Albania and the UNDP 2011 Kosovo Remittance Survey).