Maliq Plain Faces Major Drainage Overhaul After Floods Inundate More Than 600 Hectares of Farmland

 More than 600 hectares of agricultural land in Albania’s Maliq Plain were flooded by heavy rainfall during the previous winter, leaving farmers facing persistent drainage problems and renewed concerns over crop protection.

 

Authorities say funding has been secured for a major land-rehabilitation project aimed at improving drainage and irrigation across the plain, particularly in its peatland areas, where the ground has gradually subsided over the years, making it increasingly difficult for excess water to drain away.

Aurel Zenunllari, Director of Agriculture at Maliq Municipality, confirmed that the Ministry of Agriculture has secured funding for the project, known locally as ribonifikimi.

“This is very good news, as it involves a major investment that will directly contribute to preventing floods,” Zenunllari said. He added that the project is also expected to improve irrigation and create better conditions for farmers and agricultural development in the area.

However, agricultural expert Ylver Bylykbashi argues that addressing the problem will require a comprehensive intervention rather than isolated maintenance work.

According to Bylykbashi, the project must include cleaning drainage canals to the appropriate depth and clearing the bed of the Devoll River. In areas where the land has subsided below the river’s water level, he says, a pumping station will be necessary to remove water from the drainage network and discharge it into the river.

Such infrastructure would be essential to reducing the risk of repeated flooding, particularly in low-lying agricultural areas where gravity alone cannot ensure adequate drainage.

The Maliq Plain covers approximately 13,000 hectares, including around 6,000 hectares of peatland. Approximately 500 hectares of the land flooded during the previous winter were located in this peatland zone, highlighting the vulnerability of these areas to water accumulation.

The plain is an important agricultural area in southeastern Albania, and recurring floods threaten farmers’ production and livelihoods. For local agricultural communities, the effectiveness of the planned investment will depend not only on the funding secured but also on the project's implementation, the rehabilitation of drainage channels and the construction of pumping infrastructure where necessary.

For farmers in Maliq, the challenge is straightforward: securing long-term protection against flooding is essential to safeguarding agricultural land and maintaining production in one of southeastern Albania’s key farming areas.