Moldova drought: How new irrigation systems are saving farmers in Crocmaz
Farmers in the Ștefan Vodă region, an area heavily reliant on agriculture, have suffered greatly from drought in recent years, with some ready to abandon their businesses.
A new, ambitious irrigation project aims to address the issue by restoring life to the sun-scorched fields. In the village of Crocmaz, one of the most modern and complex irrigation systems in Moldova is beginning to take shape.
The village of Crocmaz already has an irrigation system, built during the Soviet era, but it has been defunct for nearly three decades. Nearly ten years ago, local farmers decided to form an association to repair the system. In 2022, the technical project was finalised. It includes two pumping stations, the rehabilitation of the storage basin, and modern water distribution networks. The project is currently being implemented, thanks to support from the World Bank.
"The water source is a surface source, namely the Dniester River. Everyone knows that the Dniester River has a very high water flow. Consequently, this system has the potential to be expanded, and the entire area, including the villages of Crocmaz, Căplani, and Tudora, will be able to connect to this irrigation system," says Vasili Vîrlan, the supervisor.
The system, which has a capacity of 85,000 cubic metres (2.9 million cubic feet), will serve more than one hundred farms in the region.
“If it doesn't rain or snow this winter, we'll have to tear out the orchards,” says local farmer Ion Dimitrovici. “Imagine investing so many years, finally getting to a harvest, and not having the means to sustain it—that's very difficult.”
The construction is designed to reduce water loss and ensure uniform distribution along the entire route. In a first for the southeast of the country, farmers will be able to plan their irrigation based on the actual needs of their crops.
"Since 2017, we have been facing a very severe drought, specifically in this area: Crocmaz, Căplani, Tudora, Palanca. We need this to develop the village economy, to have high-performing agriculture and a normal production that can compete on the European market and in other countries," says the Mayor of Crocmaz village, Ion Veleșco.
The World Bank-backed project is valued at 157 million Moldovan Lei (about £7m / $9m), with work expected to be completed in 2027. In a country where less than 5% of all agricultural land is irrigated, this investment protects not just crops, but the very future of rural communities.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
