Recent trends in Albania suggest that ithas the potential for a modern and competitive agriculturalsector, provided there is sufficient private investment andthe right policy environment. This chapter looks at the roleof agriculture in the economy and the current status of thesector, and outlines the implications of modernization andtransformation of agriculture for rural areas. It alsoidentifies trends and sources of growth for agriculture, andconcludes by presenting the key policy challenges for thesector. The rest of this report analyzes the challengesfacing the agricultural sector and recommends policies foraddressing them. These challenges are analyzed in greaterdetail, and more specific policy recommendations are givenin the following chapters, which focus on strengtheningsupply chains, improving food safety, and ensuring thatreforms are carried out in compliance with EU legislation.The final chapter looks at how well public expenditures inagriculture are managed in order to achieve these policy objectives.