Moldova: the AGGRI project announced the first competition for grants of up to $1 million for modernization of livestock complexes.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry announced this, noting that the maximum grant amount is up to $1 million, provided that this amount does not exceed 50% of the investment. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agriculture Governance, Growth and Resilience Investment (AGGRI) project encourages the construction or modernization of livestock complexes, equipping them with modern technologies and purchasing breeding animals. Funding is also available to improve the energy efficiency of farms, including the introduction of technologies such as biogas plants and photovoltaic panels. To receive funds, producers must meet a number of conditions: registration and operation in the territory controlled by the Moldovan authorities, except for the municipalities of Chisinau and Balti; legal ownership of the assets subject to the grant incentive, with a minimum lease or commodity agreement of 5 years; and a business plan with viable long-term economic and financial prospects. Applicants must also assume financial responsibility by contributing at least 50% of the cost of the investment subproject. A full list of eligibility criteria as well as documents to be submitted with the application can be found in the Grant Allocation Guidelines. Applications should be submitted to the territorial offices of the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture from January 15 to May 17, 2024. As InfoMarket previously reported, the Agriculture Governance, Growth and Resilience Investment (AGGRI) project is estimated at 50.1 million euros and is financed by the World Bank. Among the main objectives of the AGGRI project there are: revitalization of the livestock sector, rehabilitation of irrigation systems, and strengthening of public services for farmers. In particular, it is planned to revive the livestock sector by investing in the modernization of livestock farms, which will increase milk and meat production, thus contributing to meeting domestic demand and increasing farmers' incomes in this sector. To rehabilitate irrigation systems, the project will finance activities to rehabilitate centralized irrigation systems, ensuring more efficient use of water resources and increased crop yields. To strengthen public services for farmers, the capacity of the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture (AIPA) and the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) will be developed. The project will improve the efficiency and quality of services offered to farmers. It is planned that the AGGRI project will be implemented in 2023-2029 and will have a significant impact on the sustainable development of Moldova's agricultural sector, increasing its resilience to climate change, and will bring significant economic benefits to the whole country. // 16.01.2024 - InfoMarket.
