THE NEW CHALLENGES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN ALBANIAN COASTAL WETLANDS AFTER THE DECLINE OF COMMUNIST REGIME IN 1990 (STUDY CASE: KARAVASTA WETLANDS)

The organization of agriculture in coastal wetlands of Albania has experienced huge changes after the decline of communist regime in 1990. During the communist time the land was state property and every decision on it was made by the state. The people owned only little land around the house, but they were not allowed to raise animals or crops in it. The villages were organized in socialist cooperatives and every villager was obligated to work in it. The men and women worked together in the planting process, livestock care, harvesting etc. There was not a studied division of work between men and women, but it was strange in that time to see a woman work with a tractor or combine harvester. This paper focuses on the main changes that the agriculture organization has experienced after the decline of communist regime, especially after the destruction of agriculture cooperatives. It also analyzes the first problems of the new organization and division of land and the changing patterns in land use and selection of crops. Albania as a developing country has suffered also the huge migration of people, especially men. The changing role of women work in agriculture and decision-making for the production is also a central focus of the paper. The paper will also focus on the different challenges the villagers have to face for a better future development of coastal wetlands and especially the Karavasta wetlands. Will the villagers be open to collaborate in the future? For how long will, the bad experience of socialist cooperatives, impact their future decisions on better organization of the land and agriculture? For how long will survive the actual form of organization of agriculture based on family members work?