Thanks to the “Alliance for the Development and Enhancement of Family Farming in Northern Albania” project, the website of the Shija and Veriut brand [The flavor of the North] is now online and collects information and contacts regarding the agro- food, nature and tourism in the municipalities of Vau Dejës, Pukë and Fushë Arrëz in northern Albania.
Available in Albanian, Italian and English, shijaeveriut.com aims to make the small family businesses of this mountain region known to a wider audience, while at the same time supporting a sustainable partnership between farmers, producers, tour operators, associations. and other stakeholders in the area.
This region characterized by rocky peaks, forests, alpine meadows, lakes and rivers, is rich in mushrooms, chestnuts, aromatic herbs and berries, skilfully processed in small artisan workshops to create entirely local and natural products, such as jams, fruit and mushrooms dried, juices, herbal teas, raki and liqueurs. Cheese and honey are perhaps the most characteristic expression of this, thanks to the unique aroma and flavor given by the wide variety of herbs and flowers present. Puka, Fushë Arrëz and Vau Dejës also boast a tradition of manufacturing and processing fabrics, vases, ceramics and wood that continues to be handed down from generation to generation by craftsmen still active today.
The Shija and Veriut brand promotes productions with a short supply chain and therefore strongly rooted in the territory, drawing strength from the joint commitment of the stakeholders involved to enhance this fundamental trait, essential for sustainable development of Albanian rural and mountain areas and beyond. To this end, the shijaeveriut.com site collects information on productions and territory in a single portal, making it available to anyone who wants to know more about this region: from curious gastronomy enthusiasts, to those who simply want to enjoy the wild nature of a corner. of Albania outside the usual tourist routes.
The Shija and Veriut brand and site were made possible within the framework of the “Alliance for the Development and Enhancement of Family Farming in Northern Albania” project, implemented by Volunteers in the World RTM, COSPE, PfD, Hapa të Lehtë and funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation – AICS.
