The Farmer Who Finally Felt Seen

UNDP Albania

March 11, 2026

The Farmer Who Finally Felt Seen — Gëzim and his wife.

UNDP Albania

Author

Nora Kushti

Communications Specialist, UNDP Albania

You cannot miss Gëzim in a crowd. His eyes, his face, his hands — and certainly his voice — all speak the language of olives. They tell stories of hard work, of stubborn resilience, and of a farmer who has spent a lifetime carrying an entire craft on his shoulders.

I met him with my colleagues at his family’s agritourism restaurant. Before we even sat down, he proudly began showing us his olive oil, his produce, the land he cultivates, and the care he invests in every harvest. Throughout our one-hour conversation, one question kept echoing:

“Will you implement such projects again? What are your plans of further working with us? The demand is immense”

He didn’t ask once.

He asked repeatedly — with hope and sincerity.
When he first heard about the Growing with Your Business (GYB) opportunity, he was skeptical, but even so — he decided to give it a try.

And today, he proudly admits:

“In 20 years, this is the first real support I have ever received.”

This is Gëzim’s story — one of the 12 beneficiaries of the Growing with Your Business methodology in Belsh, implemented by UNDP in the context of the UN joint project “Business Partnerships and Solutions for the SDGs,” financed by Sweden and implemented with FAO, UNIDO, and ILO.

Paja Olive Oil was established in 2011 in Marinëz, Belsh Municipality. After nearly two decades working in Greece, Gëzim Paja returned to Albania with his savings, his experience, and a clear mission: to build something lasting at home.

He invested in an olive-processing facility, storage infrastructure, and later expanded into a family-run agritourism restaurant — linking hospitality, local gastronomy, and olive oil under one roof.

His daughter, Paola, 24, supports administration and commercial operations while completing her postgraduate studies. She brings a fresh, structured approach, helping to modernize the family business step by step.

The Growing with Your Business methodology provided something Gëzim rarely experienced: Tailored, consistent, practical support. Paja Olive Oil began to see its future more clearly. What once felt like a small, family-run operation with big dreams started transforming into a business with structure, strategy, and direction.

Paja Olive Oil received hands-on guidance in business planning and management, helping them move from instinct-driven decisions to informed, strategic choices. With dedicated branding and marketing support, their story—rooted in tradition and quality—found a stronger voice and a more distinctive identity in the market. Strategic advice on product development encouraged them to refine their offerings while staying true to their heritage. Most importantly, GYB provided a clear, step-by-step framework for growth, turning ambition into an actionable roadmap.

With consultant support, the company began developing its first organic olive oil line, targeting a niche market with higher standards and better returns.

For Gëzim, the most transformative part was not the tools.It was attention. The tailored support.
Paja Olive Oil operates primarily as a service mill. Farmers from Belsh, Lushnjë, Gramsh, and Fier come to Gëzim every harvest season — many have been coming for years. Trust is the cornerstone.

Alongside milling services, the family produces its own extra virgin olive oil, sold mostly in bulk to households and selected businesses.

Their model is built not on rapid expansion, but on continuity, reliability, and relationships.

The facility operates entirely on family-owned land and includes:

Stainless steel bulk storage capacity
Seasonal processing equipment
A 55-kW solar panel system supporting energy-efficient production

These assets ensure the business can operate reliably during peak season and adapt to future improvements in traceability and quality.

At Paja Olive Oil, sustainability is not a separate strategy or a box to tick — it is woven into everyday decisions. From the grove to the bottle, each step reflects a conscious effort to respect the land that has sustained the family for generations.

Belsh olive trees — Belsh Olive Trees.

Photo credits: Jolla Olive Oil

Nothing goes to waste. Olive pomace, once considered a byproduct, is carefully reused as biofuel or provided to third parties, giving new life to what others might discard. The sun that ripens the olives also powers the production process, as solar energy steadily reduces the company’s dependence on the electrical grid. Meanwhile, packaging choices and resource-efficiency practices are continuously improving — not through sudden overhauls, but through steady, thoughtful progress.

Gëzim prefers progress measured in seasons, not quick transformations.

It was attention. The tailored support.

“Someone finally sat with me, understood my business, and guided me step by step.”

Paja Olive Oil represents the quiet strength of rural enterprises — steady, resilient, improving year after year. Not through shortcuts, but through commitment.

As Gëzim says, his hands resting on a bottle of his latest production:

“We farmers do not ask for miracles.

We ask for guidance — the right guidance-like this one — so that our work can grow.”

With the right support, it will.

And in Belsh, stories like his are beginning to multiply.