This week, Gabriel Roe, plant health expert from Ireland delivered training on EU harmful organisms and surveys for Aleurocanthus spiniferus (orange spiny whitefly of Citrus) in Albania. The training sessions took place in Shkoder, Berat and Vlora and were attended by AKVMB plant health specialists and representatives from AREB (agriculture extension services).

The training included theoretical and practical elements with visits to olive and citrus plantations

where the expert provided advice and guidance to the specialists and operators. It was also noted that following the expert’s last training visit an initial survey is being undertaken in Albania to determine the status of Xylella Fastidiosa within the country.

This concludes a comprehensive training programme delivered by the Food Safety Project to support the Albanian authorities in implementing elements of EU plant health law. In parallel to the training, significant progress is being made in finalising the draft plant health law which will provide the legal

basis for a national survey programme for harmful organisms.

This action is funded by the European Union and is implemented by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland in partnership with the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and The Marine, the Finnish Food Safety Authority and Creative Business Solutions (CBS), Albania.