Japan to provide Moldova with about 4.8 million dollars for agricultural machinery

Chisinau, 7 March /MOLDPRES/- Japan will provide Moldova with about 4.8 million dollars for purchasing equipment for conservation agriculture. Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and European Integration Minister Andrei Galbur and Japanese Ambassador to Chisinau Masanobu Yoshii signed an agreement to this effect today.

The grant agreement sees implementation of the project “Conservation agriculture – development of a sustainable soil management system in Moldova”.

Galbur said that once implementation of the project, soil degradation in Moldova would be reduced, and for long term the country would become more competitive in agriculture. “The grant will be implemented by the Agriculture and Food Ministry. Thanks to the Japanese government for the assistance given to Moldova in priority sectors: agriculture, health, education, environment, culture etc. Thus, Japan is an important supporter in modernizing the country based on the European model, via the reforms implemented in line with the Association Agreement with EU”, Galbur said.

For his part, Masanobu Yoshii said that the project aimed at developing a sustainable soil management system. “We want to contribute to reducing poverty and ensuring economic growth. The assistance from Japan has two priority areas: support and promote industry, including by boosting agri-food sector and develop small and middle-sized enterprises, as well as improve public services in healthcare and education. We hope that the assistance will significantly improve Moldovans’ life, as agriculture is an important factor in the economic growth of the country and in ensuring good quality products,” he said.

The grant is provided by the Japanese side within the programme on social and economic development, an instrument of official development assistance (ODA) of Japan. At the same time, the signing of this agreement is carried out on the eve of the 25th anniversary of setting Moldovan-Japanese diplomatic relations, on 16 March 1992. During this period, Japan’s financial assistance provided to Moldova was estimated at over 150 million dollars. Japan is the third donor of Moldova after the EU and the United States.

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor M. Jantovan)