Moldova to include analysis of gender gaps in access to agricultural resources in report to United Nations for the first time

Differences between women and men in access to land, water, financing and drought adaptation measures will be analyzed in the National Report of the Republic of Moldova to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) for the first time. The gender analysis, prepared as part of the reporting process, today was presented and discussed in Chisinau, during a workshop organized by the EcoContact NGO, in partnership with the Authority for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring (AMM).

The assessment shows that small and fragmented agricultural holdings, limited access to irrigation, machinery and financial support reduce the ability of women farmers to prevent soil degradation and cope with drought. These difficulties are compounded by household responsibilities, which may limit the time available to them for training and economic activities.

According to an analysis presented by Eugenia Ganea, a consultant on gender equality and social inclusion, water shortages may increase the time needed to secure supplies, care for livestock and provide food for the family, affecting women’s ability to participate in professional and economic development activities.

Including this data in the national report will complement information on the condition of land and help identify those who need support, as well as the obstacles preventing them from applying sustainable agricultural practices, such as soil cover, crop rotation and efficient water use.

During the workshop, Nina Lozinschi, a gender equality consultant, presented the UNCCD Gender Action Plan and ways to implement it in Moldova.

Among the recommendations discussed, there were adapting eligibility and co-financing criteria to the circumstances of small farms, providing support in preparing funding applications and organizing training sessions in local communities at times that take agricultural activities and care responsibilities into account.

In addition, institutions providing agricultural support are encouraged to collect and analyze data on the number of women and men who apply for and receive assistance, the amount of funding provided and the types of benefits granted. This information would make it possible to assess how support is distributed and adjust programmes, when certain categories of farmers are unable to access the available resources.

For local authorities, the recommendations focus on consulting women and men who use land, including women farmers and smallholder households, as well as ensuring women’s representation on land committees, in cooperatives and in water-user associations. The proposals made during consultations and the way they are reflected in the measures adopted should also be documented.

The workshop also included a session on the use of satellite data in the reporting process, presented by Tudor Castravet, Vice-Rector for Research at the Ion Creanga State Pedagogical University, and Vitalie Mardari, a representative of AMM. Aliona Isac, Deputy UNCCD Focal Point, presented the project’s progress, while Mihail Ojog, a representative of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Moldova, addressed the conclusions regarding LDN TSP2 and the next steps.

The event was organized within the project, GEF Support for the 2026 UNCCD National Reporting Process – Moldova, implemented by the EcoContact NGO with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in support of AMM in its capacity as the UNCCD National Focal Point.