‘Integrated Forest Management (IMF) along the Drim River Basin’ Project Grants

The overall long-term goal of the project is to contribute to climate change mitigation and sustainable development for local communities by encouraging different approaches to integrated forest management and improving the living conditions of rural communities along the Dream River in the region of Skadar (AL), Prizren (KO), Struga (NMK) and Niksic (CG).

Objective

• The topic of this call is determined by the following objective:
  • Increasing socio-economic and environmental benefits for local communities through ecosystem services, enhanced by the application of methods of integrated forest management, afforestation and biodiversity protection.

Funding Information

• Grants requested under this call for proposals must range between the following maximum and minimum range:
• Individuals with tourism facilities and farmers from €1000 to €5,000.
• For micro, small and medium enterprises from €5,000 – €10,000.

Eligible Activities

• List of indicative types of activities:
  • Good practices of agroforestry
  • Ecological improvement of forests
  • Beekeeping
  • Sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest products
  • Cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants
  • Ecotourism
• The sub-grant scheme may provide support for the following activities, but is not limited to:
  • Improving mechanisms for sustainable use of non-timber forest products and medicinal and aromatic plants (entrepreneurial skills, promotion, development of non-timber forest products, medicinal and aromatic plants and nature-based tourism).
  • Procurement of equipment to improve facilities for processing and drying non-wood forest products and medicinal and aromatic plants (Types of equipment: reception, collection and storage, preparation for sorting, cleaning, washing, drying, disinfection, sorting, calibration, removal of damaged fruit, equipment for cutting, grinding and other preparation before processing, equipment for canning, drying, freezing, equipment for filling, bottling, packaging and marking/labeling, equipment for quality monitoring, control systems with monitoring of receipt, storage and distribution of the product.)
  • Certification for organic collectors.
  • Establishing local consolidators for medicinal and aromatic plants and nontimber forest products to ensure fair trade and sustainable harvesting practices (in partnership with local communities, promoting sustainable harvesting practices, providing training and resources and ensuring fair prices).
  • Procurement of equipment for processing and production of traditional food from nature-based tourism service providers, (processing equipment: mills, grinders and dehydrators, production equipment: ovens, stoves and utensils, equipment for nature-based tourism, such as hiking and camping equipment, adventure tourism equipment, water sports equipment, wildlife watching, etc.).
  • Promoting cultural and natural heritage tours as support for the local economy and preservation of cultural tradition. Cross-border promotional activities can also be supported.
  • Arrangement/ improvement of private accommodation facilities and conditions at providers of tourist services/products that are based on the use of natural resources (for arranging, equipping or renovating the facility according to the tradition of the place);
  • Development of products and services in protected natural environments, intended for tourist purposes.

Eligibility Criteria

• Grants are mainly intended for qualified micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and farmers and individuals offering tourism capacities (registered in the municipality) with a local presence in Dibër and Struga, whose mission and strategy are focused on generating incomes.
• The geographical scope of this call is limited to the region of Dibra and Struga.

For more information, visit CNVP.