Bøger af Majlinda Çakalli

Shkodra/Skadar Lake is the largest natural, shallow (mean depth 5m), freshwater lake of tectonic-karst origin in the Balkan region. It is a trans-boundary wetland due to the Lake¿s complex freshwater ecosystem, associated wetlands, floodplains, and karstic features provide valuable environmental benefits to surrounding communities (e.g. fisheries, drinking water, recreation), and contribute to national and regional economic and cultural assets. It is beyond argument that the issue of safeguarding the biodiversity and the landscape of Shkodra/Skadar Lake is inseparable from farming as the performance of this latter is primarily dependent on the status of natural resources and at the same time affects the surrounding environment, the diversity and stability of natural ecosystems. On the other hand, rural people in this Region have to make their living principally from agriculture in the future, too. This study attempts for the first time to evaluate the externalities of agriculture and related industries on this valuable ecological and economic resource.

Medicinal and aromatic plants are one of the main commodities of the Albanian economy generating incomes for about tens of thousands of people living in marginal areas, making Albania famous in the main importing markets like USA and Germany. After the proper management and exploitation of such a natural resource during the planned economy, in the last two decades serious threats pose a great risk for the biodiversity and economics of this sector. This monograph, based on a long relevant experience, attempts to analyse this sector from both the social and economic viewpoint and to recommend policies for its sustainable development.