The Agricultural Governance, Growth and Resilience Investment (AGGRI) project worth $55 million was launched in Moldova.
During the presentation of the project, Gumovschi Liviu, Executive Director of the Consolidated Unit for Implementation and Monitoring of World Bank Projects in Agriculture, spoke about the main components of AGGRI. Thus, part of the project funds will be used to improve management and knowledge management in the agricultural field (increasing efficiency, digitalization of the National Agency for Food Safety, harmonization of national legislation with European legislation, modernization of veterinary medicine services by creating exemplary centers). The second component is growth through the development of value chains (development of the meat and dairy industry and vegetable production, bringing processes to the requirements of the future IPARD program, providing grants to producers and processors (covering 50% of the cost of investments), etc.). The third component of the project is the rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure (interconnection of centralized irrigation systems in the villages of Tudora and Caplani (Stefan Voda district), Tetcani and Corjeuti (Briceni district), as well as support for the repair of an irrigation station in Etulia (Cahul district). In particular, $21 million will be allocated to farmers in the form of grants to stimulate initiatives to promote and develop the livestock and horticulture sector; $25 million - for the restoration of primary and secondary irrigation infrastructure; $6.5 million - to strengthen the capacity of the Agency for Interventions and Payments in Agriculture. The AGGRI project will be financed under a government loan agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and development and will be implemented before 2029. Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vladimir Bolea expressed gratitude to the partners for their support of the project and assured that this project will qualitatively change the country’s agricultural sector, increase the productivity of the agricultural sector and ensure resistance to drought through the development of irrigation systems, and will also strengthen the institutional capacity of the departments of the Ministry of Agriculture. The head of the WB representative office in Moldova, Inguna Dobraja, noted that the AGGRI project is especially relevant in the context of the announcement of the start of negotiations on Moldova’s accession to the EU and the subsequent fulfillment of obligations within this process. She emphasized that the investments that will be made within the framework of AGGRI will support all efforts to develop the competitiveness and long-term development of the agricultural sector of Moldova. // 19.12.2023 - InfoMarket.
