Moldova, International Fund for Agricultural Development to negotiate new financing programme

Chisinau, 19 November /MOLDPRES/ – The Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and the Environment (MADRM) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) are initiating negotiations to sign an agreement on a new rural development programme. It has been discussed on Tuesday, 19 November, by the Minister of MADRM, Ion Perju, the country director of IFAD for Moldova, Vrej Jijyan, and director of the Consolidated Unit for implementation of IFAD programmes, Victor Rosca.

The agreement on the IFAD VIII Programme: Talent Retention for Rural Transformation Project, which will be implemented in 2019 – 2024, is to be approved for funding at the meeting of IFAD Bureau in December 2019.

The total cost of this programme is about $50.5 million and it provides for creation of 1,000 new jobs, construction and/or rehabilitation of 30 km of access roads to production areas of agricultural producers, granting the financing for 820 rural entrepreneurs, as well as financing 20 infrastructure projects for irrigation.

"The signing of a new agreement is very important, as it will increase investments in the agricultural sector, increase opportunities for producer development and ensure access to markets," said Minister of MADRM, Ion Perju.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development has supported in Moldova more programmes aimed at supporting agroindustrial sector. Starting with 2000 and up till now, the Government of Moldova has signed 07 financing agreements with IFAD, worth $124 million, based upon which there were implemented programmes for rural financing and small business development, agricultural revitalisation, marketing, agricultural business etc.