The French Development Agency will provide Moldova with €60 million to modernize irrigation infrastructure
The Moldovan government has approved the signing of two agreements with the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement) for a €45 million loan and a €15 million EU grant for the Integrated Agriculture and Irrigation Development Program (iDRIP) project. The funds will be used to rehabilitate existing irrigation systems, develop small-scale irrigation, and strengthen the capacity of institutions managing the sector. The program will modernize centralized irrigation systems in the villages of Călinești and Criulenii de Sus. Upon completion, approximately 365 agricultural landowners, covering over 3,000 hectares, will have access to irrigation water. The project also includes the construction of water storage reservoirs, which will support small and medium-sized agricultural producers during periods of rainfall shortages. EU grant funds will be used to restore irrigation infrastructure, train and advise irrigation water user associations and farmers, and develop the institutional capacity of those operating irrigation systems. Agricultural production in areas served by the modernized systems is expected to increase by at least 50% compared to the average of the past 10 years. The government noted that the investment will improve the agricultural sector's resilience to droughts and improve water resource management. // 13.05.2026 – InfoMarket.
