The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, in partnership with the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, has launched the project “Moldovan-German Agricultural Policy Dialogue (APD Moldova)”. This is a three-year technical assistance project, funded by the Government of Germany, which will support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and the agricultural policy implementation institutions in the process of joining the European Union. The project operates in the Ministry’s building, functions as a hub between the two ministries and manages 27 information activities on the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy and food safety standards, IPN reports.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vladimir Bolea said that the development of the Ministry of Agriculture and its capacities is the supreme goal of this support program. It is one of the most important steps to form a Ministry of Agriculture that meets all the requirements of the European Union. The reform of the Ministry of Agriculture is close to being completed. The German side came up with a new organizational chart that is to be analyzed and will possibly underpin the formation of a new Ministry of Agriculture that will deal directly with legislative harmonization and implementation of the EU requirements.
Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Moldova Margret Maria Uebber noted that in recent years the agricultural sector has suffered from external shocks, such as climate change that led to drought, hail and severe storms. The repercussions of Russia’s illegitimate war on Ukraine also aggravated this situation. Despite challenges from outside and within, Moldova has made notable progress in implementing reforms. Germany has supported Moldova’s integration into the EU both politically and by implementing concrete projects, strengthening the economy, promoting small and medium-sized enterprises. The agricultural policy dialogue offered by the German Government helps Moldova in the joining process and in the negotiations that follow. “Over the coming months, we will have the opportunity to strengthen and advance our cooperation. I look forward to including agriculture as an important sector for our country in this cooperation. I’m confident that together we can be stronger and can bring Moldova closer to the European Union,” said the diplomat.
The rrepresentative of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture Dieter Goertz highlighted the additional support activities offered by Germany to Moldova. “We are ready to support the Republic of Moldova in its development phase. Our dialogue is characterized by flexibility and allows us to provide adjusted support and to react promptly based on needs,” stated the German official.
The team leader of the APD Moldova Project Hans Kordik said that this project is an ideal platform with a logical composition of activities that will contribute to preparing the Moldovan agricultural sector for integration into the EU.
The agreement to implement the APD Moldova project was signed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and GFA Consulting Group LTD (General Agent of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture for Bilateral Cooperation Programs) on October 6, 2023 and subsequently, in November 2023, APD Moldova started work.
