USAID Deputy Mission Director Mike de la Rosa participated in an open field day event on July 26th showcasing the cultivation of some of Kosovo's many medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) and highlighting the successful partnership of the Agroshqiponja Collection Center with 50 women farmers in central Kosovo.  De la Rosa met with the women turning these plants into successful crops and visited fields planted with black marshmallow, marigold, oregano, mint, lemon balm, and red and blue cornflower.  USAID through its Agricultural for Growth and Rural Opportunity activity gave Agroshqiponja a grant of 41,000 Euro for the cultivation of six plant species, and is now helping the Collection Center to establish a large MAPs dryer and to obtain organic certification to further facilitate export to regional and EU markets.  In his remarks, de la Rosa highlighted the numerous contributions of the collection center, including creating jobs and enabling the women farmers to access an international market, spreading the good name of Kosovo products further into the EU, and providing the international market with a focal point for organic, high-quality products.