Growing Sustainable Business

GSB in Albania

The GSB Albania program was launched in April 2007 and is co-funded by the Austrian Development Agency.

The GSB Broker, Marina Kaneti is responsible for identifying pro-poor investment opportunities, developing innovative business models, brokering partnerships between key stakeholders, and marketing projects to both local and international investors. 

GSB in Albania has been focusing on developing agri-business and local value chains with a view to help reduce poverty in rural Albania. GSB is also assessing opportunities in the financial sector (financial products for small enterprises) and in the renewable energy sector.

Pipeline Proposals

Agricultural Commodities Info Sharing
Lead Company: AMC, GTZ, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection, Mountainous Areas Development Agencies (MADA), Microsoft, Vodafone
This project aims to provide service to local farmers whereby they are able to be receive information by SMS concerning up to date prices of agricultural products. The information would be obtained in co-operation with the Ministry of Agriculture, and disseminated to the farmers with the help of telecommunications and IT companies. The project is expected to help farmers access information about market prices and increase their bargaining power with the traders. The project also aims to increase knowledge of free market principles among farmers. Download project brief

MAPs processing and cultivation
Lead Company: Xherdo
This project aims to provide support to expand herbs cultivation in select communities and access to capital to scale up production. Download project brief