A laboratory for testing water, soil and plants in accordance with the European standards will be created in Moldova with financial support from the Inclusive Rural Economic and Climate Resilience Program (IFAD), which offers a grant of US$95,000 for purchasing modern equipment for express tests.
There are about 20 labs that examine samples of soil, water and plants in Moldova, but in most of the cases the used testing methods do not meet the EU standards and the lab test results cannot be thus validated when the agricultural production is destined for export.
Director of the IFAD Consolidated Programs Implementation Unit Victor Rosca stated for IPN that IFAD is to choose the grant beneficiary and applications can be submitted by this yearend.
Victor Rosca said a farmer will be able to take a sample of soil to the lab or specialists of the lab will travel to the scene to take samples and, based on the test results, will recommend what type of fertilizer should be used and in what quantities. “I know a lot of agricultural producers that today have to send soil samples to the Netherlands, Germany or France for testing. The existence of such a lab in Moldova will simplify things,” he stated.
Before irrigation, the water should also be tested. A lot of agricultural producers insist on the use of groundwater for irrigation, but this water in many areas has a high salinity level, said the director of the IFAD Consolidated Programs Implementation Unit.
The producers will be able to send by email images of the diseases-stricken plants to the lab and specialists will later tell them what kind of disease this is or can take samples for examination to find out the pathogen that cases the diseases.
The lab will finance itself with money earned from the provided services.
