Moldovan Agriculture Ministry sums up work in 2018, presents priorities for next year

Chisinau, 20 December /MOLDPRES/ - The 2018 year was complicated for the agricultural sector in Moldova; yet, we have also more promising results, according to Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Minister Nicolae Ciubuc, who today unveiled an activity report for the current year.    

“The 2018 year was pretty difficult, especially from the institutional point of view, as a new ministerial structure was created, which cummulated three particularly important fields. Nevertheless, in parallel with organizational activities, we have managed to have more growths, on all those three segments managed by the Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Ministry (MADRM),” Nicolae Ciubuc said.    

According to the minister, the main goals set in the beginning of this year have been practically achieved. “We have fulfilled more commitments provided for in the Association Agreement with EU, in order to ensure the conformity with the European legal framework; we have increased the financing in the agro-industrial sector, stimulating the modernization and enhancement of the competitiveness of the agro-industrial sector; we have increased investments in the regional and local infrastructure, thus enhancing residents’ access to quality public services. At the same time, we consolidated the institutional capacities of the entities in the environment sector, in order to ensure the efficient work of the field,” the official noted.   

Nicolae Ciubuc stressed that, during this year, the ministry had recorded branch growths in overall production of about 12 per cent, the increase of investments in agriculture stands at 22 per cent. At the same time, the exports grew by almost 16 per cent; on the concerned period, more than 50,000 citizens got access to quality services of water and sanitation and 60 businesses were started in agriculture.

“All these results make us be optimistic and set ambitious goals for the next year. Thus, in 2019, we will continue complying with the Association Agreement with EU; we will promote reforms, facilitating the access to new sales markets; we will enhance the competitiveness of the agro-industrial sector through investments in the post-harvesting infrastructure. We have plans for optimizing the National Ecology Fund, creation of a concept of management of solid waste and working out a national plan on afforestation. Also, another 100,000 people must have access to water and sewerage,” Ciubuc added.      

In the end of the summing up conference, the minister handed 28 certificates to beneficiaries of grants of the High Value Agriculture in Moldova project, backed by the United States Agency for International Development.