Japanese International Cooperation Agency to implement programmes on assistance of small, medium-sized enterprises, small farmers in Moldova

Chisinau, 27 July /MOLDPRES/ - The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is willing to provide Moldova with technical/financial assistance to support small- and medium-sized enterprises, including small farmers from Moldova. Deputy Prime Minister, Economics and Infrastructure Minister Octavian Calmic and a representative of a Japanese company, Yojiro Fujiwara, held discussions on the subject today.   

According to the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry’s (MEI) communication and public relations service, the sides agreed that, till late next September, all aspects of the project be established and coordinated, so that its implementation begins as of 2018.  

JICA will take a final decision till October 2017. By that time, the sum of the technical assistance earmarked to Moldova in this project will be known as well. It is worth mentioning that MEI asked for special attention to opening a line of financial support directly provided to Moldovan entrepreneurs for acquisitions of technology and equipment, in order to thus ensure the enhancing of products’ competitiveness on foreign markets.  

“The working out of an assistance programme in this field will represent a first stage in identifying the competitive advantage of each region and association of small farmers locally to create traditional goods, specific to the region, which will be promoted under a single regional trademark,” Octavian Calmic said. Moldova asks for assistance also to strengthen the institutional capacities of the Organization for the Small and Medium Enterprises Sector Development, Investments Attraction and Exports Promotion Organization nationally and internationally, as well as of the business incubators, opened in district centres, as well as of the commercial and economic representatives from Moldova’s embassies.   

For his part, the Japanese official said that “the modernization of the agricultural sector, enhancing the food safety, extension of the chain of supply for consumers  are just some of the targets of the technical assistance, which will be provided to Moldovan enterprises within the project.”  

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor M. Jantovan)