A press release of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Republic of Moldova, cited by Info-Prim Neo, states that in the framework of its Food Security Programme 2006 in Moldova, the Commission disbursed EUR 1.2 million (equivalent to MDL 19.9 million) into the national budget. The total amount of Food Security Programme 2006 is EUR 9.2 million (approximately MDL 137.9 million). The key objective of Food Security Programme 2006 is to tackle chronic poverty and focus on the needs of the most deprived population. This grant will also contribute to sustainable agricultural development, a sector considered the backbone of the Moldovan economy. During the years 2002-2006 the EU Food Security Programme in Moldova provided EUR 24.5 million (approximately MDL 370.8 million) into the national budget, including EUR 18.3 million (approximately MDL 285.5 million) transferred in budget year 2005 to support public finance management system, child protection, social assistance domains, and following activities related to rural livelihood: animal identification, designing of the new Laboratory for Food Testing and its endowment with equipment, renovation of the Virusology Laboratory, small scale irrigation, sanitation and potable water in villages and small towns. The results reached through the Food Security Programme significantly contribute to the fulfilment of the priorities jointly identified in the EU-Moldova Action Plan and in the Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategic Paper (EGPRSP).