The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Andis Salla, received the Israeli Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Oren Lavi, in an official meeting in Tirana.

Earlier this morning, Lavi met with Fatmir Guri, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and they signed a new agreement between the countries.

The deal is designed to expand the agricultural collaboration between the countries, strengthen food security, and promote solutions in the field of foreign workers for Israel’s agricultural industry, the Israeli Agriculture Ministry said in a press release.

“The agreement expresses the joint commitment of Israel and Albania to expanding cooperation in the fields of agriculture and food security, and it creates a broad infrastructure for promoting innovation, research and development, knowledge transfer, and the creation of new opportunities for both countries. In light of the global challenges in the field of food and climate, such collaborations are not only a professional opportunity, but also an essential component in building strong, advanced food systems that are more resilient for the future,” Lavi said.

As part of the visit, Oren Lavi, Head of the Israeli Ministry’s Food Security Administration, and Yuval Lipkin, Head of the Israeli Ministry's Food Security Administration, participated in the AgriNext 2026 Conference – the Israel-Albania Forum for Food Security and Economic Innovation, which was held with the participation of government officials, companies, and organizations from both countries.

The two countries signed a new memorandum of understanding in the field of agriculture at the conference between Israel and Albania. This is a renewed historic agreement, following the previous agreement that was signed by the countries in 2001.

The memorandum of understanding includes collaboration in the fields of agricultural innovation and technology, animal welfare and veterinary services, food security, plant protection, irrigation, fertilization, and training of professional teams. The agreement includes promoting the exchange of professional knowledge, research collaboration, agricultural development, and the transfer of advanced agricultural technologies.

Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in cooperation with the Population and Immigration Authority, is promoting the first bilateral agreement of its kind to bring seasonal foreign workers from Albania to work in Israel’s agricultural industry. This model will allow for workers to be brought over for defined periods of time, based on the specific needs of the Israeli agriculture, especially during peak periods. This will help strengthen the functional continuity and food security of the State of Israel.

In addition to the signing of the agreement, during the visit, the delegation from Israel held a series of professional meetings with government officials and representatives from Albania’s agriculture and employment sectors, including representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Food Authority of Albania, and the Albanian Council of AgriBusiness.

Moreover, members of the delegation met with leading companies and organizations in the agricultural industry in order to promote professional, trade, and technological collaboration between the countries.

Additionally, the delegation will visit the Mashav Excellence Farm on Tuesday, which is a model of agricultural collaboration between Israel and Albania.

Albania, which is situated on the shores of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas in southeast Europe, considers agriculture to be one of the main core industries of its economy. This industry is the only one in the country that has shown consistent growth in the past three years, with a rate of 3%. The structure of the Albanian agriculture industry is unique in relation to other European countries.