UN coordinator in Chisinau: I will call on UN agencies to identify solutions, opportunities to support agriculture in Moldova

Chisinau, 27 Sep. /MOLDPRES/- Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA) Vladimir Bolea today had a meeting with new UN resident coordinator to Moldova Yeşim Oruç. The discussions referred to the support that UN agencies offer to farmers in the Republic of Moldova, as well as the major challenges facing the agricultural sector, in particular, the damage caused by the severe drought in 2024. The official stressed the need for increased support for farmers affected by the drought, mentioning the devastating impact of this situation on agricultural production.

The Deputy Prime Minister reiterated the importance of external aid, addressing Mrs. Yeşim Oruç to evaluate the possibility of additional support from UN agencies, especially through initiatives to support the affected farmers and through the contribution to the Mutual Loss Compensation Fund.

For her part, the UN representative showed interest in the urgent challenges faced by the agricultural sector in the Republic of Moldova, requesting details about the main difficulties faced by the relevant ministry and farmers in general. "I will call on the UN agencies to identify solutions and opportunities for support, including evaluating ways to contribute to the mutual fund," Yeşim Oruç said.

On September 24, 2024, Vladimir Bolea signed the official letters addressed to the 27 Ministers of Agriculture from the European Union, USA, Canada, Japan and Norway, requesting support for the establishment of a Development and Solidarity Fund for Moldovan agriculture. The initiative of this fund was previously discussed during the meeting with the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, as a reaction to the increasingly acute challenges faced by farmers in the Republic of Moldova, affected by the severe drought and climate changes in recent years.

Solidarity Fund aims to financially support farmers, modernize agricultural infrastructure, promote technological innovations and increase resilience to extreme climatic conditions, which affect the productivity and stability of agriculture in the country.