The Consolidated Unit for the Implementation of IFAD Programs calls on the farmers to apply for grants within the programs available this year for financing. The Unit’s director Victor Rosca told a news conference that investment resources are available, but the farmers are not sufficiently informed about the possibilities of accessing these, IPN reports.
Currently, IFAD possesses about US$20 million for all the financing components, including lending and grants. About US$8 million is available for grants designed to support and adjust agricultural production systems to climate change, to promote and implement soil processing technologies that enable to conserve humidity, to set up and rehabilitate wooded areas, etc.
“We have implemented programs to help adjust to the weather conditions for several years. For the purpose, we provide grants to the value of up to US$10,000 for purchasing special agricultural machinery for soil conservation technology. Last year we provided 34 such grants. We will continue during the next two years as we have another 50 grants of the kind, which can be put to good use,” stated Victor Rosca.
As regards the planting and rehabilitation of wooded strips, Victor Rosca said the forest strips in the former peasant farmsteads were destroyed and this led to soil erosion. Both agricultural producers and local authorities managing wooded strips will be supported financially. The grants provided for the purpose amount to US$3,000 per hectare of new wooded strips. Grants are also available to those who will plant grass between rows on multiannual plantations on slopes and where soil is exposed to erosion.
Two grants to the value of about US$20,000 will be provided to those who collect and sell non-wooded products from wooded areas such as berries and medicinal plants.
In April, there will be signed component 7 of IFAD that has a budget of US$24 million, US$5 million of which will be available for grants.
