USAID and MCC to teach Moldovan farmers marketing

The United State Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Friday launched the Agricultural Competitiveness and Enterprise Development (ACED) Project, Info-Prim Neo reports. The two organizations aim to increase the success of the Moldovan agriculture sector in the production and marketing of high value crops, both in the domestic market and internationally. ACED will provide technical assistance and training to high value agriculture producers and related businesses in priority value chains throughout the country, with a special focus on areas in which 11 Central Irrigation Systems are being rehabilitated through the new Compact between MCC and the Government of Moldova. “The synergy of the two projects will enable to achieve the projected results, spurring economic growth in rural Moldova and agricultural producers’ incomes,” said Asif Chaudhry, U.S. Ambassador to Moldova. Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov said the farmers will be taught how to advertise and sell the products that are in demand on the market, on the basis of the quality standards, not only tastes and preferences. Gary Kilmer, director of the company that will implement the Agricultural Competitiveness and Enterprise Development Project, said he has experience in carrying out similar projects in other countries, but the initial conditions in Moldova are better. “I’m optimistic about the success of this project and the attendance at the launch shows interest in it is very great,” he stated. The five-year project has a budget of US$16 million.