French Development Agency will grant the Republic of Moldova 40 million euros for the repair and modernization of irrigation systems
The Republic of Moldova could benefit from investments of about 40 million euros intended for the rehabilitation and modernization of centralized irrigation systems and the development of small-scale irrigation. In this regard, a mission made up of experts from the French Development Agency (AFD), MAIA, the Agency for the Development and Modernization of Agriculture and the National Agency for Land Improvements carried out, for a week, a series of visits to evaluate the five central irrigation systems, with the aim of identifying potential projects for the rehabilitation and development of the irrigation infrastructure.
The initiative belongs to the ministry, in the context of the need to adapt to climate change, as well as the promotion of sustainable and efficient agriculture, informs the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA).
According to the quoted source, during the visits, the experts evaluated the existing infrastructure of the irrigation systems, aspects such as farmers' interest in irrigation, the structure of the crops practiced by them, the existence of associations of water users for irrigation, access to water resources and the potential for development and modernization .
"In the Republic of Moldova, there were initially 88 centralized irrigation systems, of which, currently, only 24 are functioning. Of these, 10 have already been repaired through the "Compact" program. Our selection principle, which you have also confirmed as correct, is that farmers must be organized into irrigation water user associations. Farmers must be motivated and understand the need for irrigation systems for the success of their own businesses", said the Minister of Agriculture, Vladimir Bolea.
According to MAIA, it is estimated that the investments will rehabilitate the hydrotechnical infrastructure on the centralized irrigation systems on an area of about 2000 hectares.
