With EU support, Moldova will implement a new €8.5 million project to modernize and increase the sustainability of agriculture
The Ministry of Agriculture announced this, noting that on September 5, a memorandum of understanding was signed in Chisinau, marking the launch of the “Team Europe - Sustainable Agri-Food Systems” initiative, an €8.5 million project aimed at modernizing and increasing the sustainability of Moldova's agriculture. The agreement establishes cooperation between the European Union, the Czech Republic, and Poland in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry of Moldova to implement the four-year project. The EU is contributing €7.5 million to the total budget, while the Czech Republic is contributing €1 million. Implementation will be ensured by the Czech Development Agency and Solidarity Fund PL in Moldova, with support from the Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre. The project's objectives include promoting the use of drought- and flood-resistant seed varieties, introducing new laboratory tests to assess soil quality, supporting precision farming and environmental practices, and creating a digital Organic Farming Register. The project also aims to strengthen the AKIS system, designed to develop innovative capacity and knowledge transfer in agriculture, and to introduce the AMIS system, which will enable more effective monitoring of agricultural markets and risk management in the sector. “The agricultural sector faces serious challenges that affect the development and competitiveness of farmers, but at the same time encourage us, as authorities, to seek solutions to overcome them,” said Ina Butucel, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture. According to her, the launched project has two main objectives: to support farmers in applying sustainable agricultural practices and to strengthen their resilience to shocks, including climatic ones, as well as to digitize and modernize processes in the sector. At the same time, the project will contribute to the development of a knowledge and innovation system, as well as market and risk monitoring mechanisms. The planned actions are in line with the Ministry of Agriculture's strategic goals of creating a sustainable agricultural sector and supporting farmers in improving their organization, cooperation, and integration into value chains. "We are pleased to join forces with the Czech Republic, Poland, and Latvia, as well as with the Ministry of Agriculture and other Moldovan institutions, to create sustainable solutions together. We want this project to result in a more sustainable Moldovan agribusiness sector that is capable of integrating innovation, technology transfer, and investment, while contributing to Moldova's food security and European integration," said Adam Grodzicki, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Moldova. Michal Mincev, Director of the Czech Development Agency, noted that Moldovan farmers are pragmatic and results-oriented, so solutions must be tested and adapted to local realities. According to him, the project is not limited to technology transfer, but also provides financial assistance so that farmers can immediately apply the knowledge they have gained in practice. “This is the only way we will achieve success,” he said. In turn, Justyna Janiszewska, Chair of the Solidarity Fund PL Management Board, noted that Moldova remains a priority country in Poland's development cooperation programs. “We want to support entrepreneurs from rural areas and contribute to Moldova's better integration into the European space. European solidarity and unity have brought us prosperity, and now we want to share this experience here,” she emphasized. // 05.09.2025 — InfoMarket
