Prishtina, September 16, 2025
Distinguished Ms. Magbule Hyseni, National Coordinator of the Platform for Kosovo,
Honored participants from neighboring countries and the region,
Distinguished entrepreneurs and producers,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Honored guests,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to Prishtina for this conference dedicated to the empowerment of rural women in the Western Balkans. We warmly welcome you and are grateful for your commitment to advancing women’s rights and to building a more equal and progressive region.
The Republic of Kosovo is committed to respecting the Convention against all forms of discrimination and to implementing European standards for the advancement of women’s rights. Women and girls are not only a pillar but are decisive for the social, cultural, and economic development of our country. Rural women, in particular, are also bearers of knowledge, tradition, and love for the land. After the war, they contributed greatly to the reconstruction of our country. On scorched land, they planted new life. With sacrifice, tireless work, and unmatched resilience, they became a force that generated sustainable change.
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo has taken concrete steps by supporting women-led agriculture and expanding programs for economic and social development in rural areas. 5,650 women farmers have been supported with subsidies worth 11 million euros from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development. In partnership with UN Women and FAO, a strategic program worth 1.5 million euros is being implemented, which, through advanced training in agribusiness, land management, and sustainable development, enables rural women to become leaders in business and rural innovation.
If we compare the situation in agriculture and livestock farming in Kosovo with that of 5 years ago, two indicators alone are enough to get an impression of progress. The total fund of agricultural land in Kosovo is 50 percent larger than it was in 2020. From around 80,000 hectares of cultivated land, today there are over 120,000 hectares. Even cow’s milk, which our farmers once struggled to sell for barely 20 cents, is now, after 5 years, at least 50 cents—two and a half times higher. Agriculture and livestock farming are developing in Kosovo, and the increase in production and productivity is undoubtedly also thanks to women farmers.
Kosovo has visionary, skilled, and innovative women farmers, who lead agricultural production alongside the processes of product digitalization and e-commerce, positioning the Republic of Kosovo in step with global trends.
Honored participants,
The empowerment of rural women is a matter of social justice, but also a direct investment in the economic development of Kosovo and of our entire region. Societies where women have equal opportunities are more prosperous, more democratic, and more sustainable.
Equality is our belief; it is our conviction. We do not need to prove that people in general and women in particular must be equal. We believe they are equal. And equality is not the destination, not the goal—it is the starting point.
And when we have equality in society, it undoubtedly supports human dignity, but it also drives economic growth. The less inequality in society, the greater the social cohesion within a state, and the greater the aggregate demand in the economy.
This regional gathering is also proof of the cooperation of our state with other countries in the Western Balkans. Together we can address challenges and shape policies that provide women with the space and tools necessary for success, and bring the region growth that becomes development, and development that becomes progress.
Therefore, just as we are doing here today, together we will continue with determination, solidarity, and long-term vision. I thank you for the invitation, for your participation, for your attention, and I wish you success in continuing the work of this conference and in future cooperation.
Thank you!
