Women-run enterprises to receive support focusing on energy efficiency and sustainable production

Chisinau, Aug 14 /MOLDPRES/- Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation is supplementing the funds allocated to the project Emergency support for agri-producers in the context of socio-economic, climate and energy crisis with an additional 1,155,000 dollars. The project is implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Under the UNDP-managed component, eight women agricultural producers affected by the socio-economic and energy crisis will be supported to increase the energy efficiency of their farming operations with equipment and services totaling about 200,000 dollars.

Earlier, another 46 women-led enterprises received similar support. Photovoltaic panels, heat pumps, biomass boilers and various energy efficiency measures have been installed in warehouses and production facilities.

Moldova's significant dependence on imports of agricultural and energy products from Ukraine and Russia has made it particularly vulnerable to external shocks. Disruption in supply chains of agricultural inputs, such as fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, as well as rising diesel fuel costs have significantly affected agricultural producers. Although prices for some inputs fell slightly in 2023, they remain historically high, contributing to increase in production costs of 4% for wheat, 4.8% for corn, and 13.5% for sunflowers compared to 2021.