FAO and Japan help fruit growers and beekeepers in the Republic of Moldova prepare for future climate hazards

Orchards need pollinators, and bees need flowering trees – and a late frost damages both at once. Today, national institutions, local public authorities, producer associations, research institutions, development partners and farmers met at a working apiary in Hulboaca village, Grătiești, to discuss how fruit growers and beekeepers in the Republic of Moldova can prepare for that risk together.

The workshop was convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as part of an ongoing project funded by Japan.

The venue was chosen deliberately. Most beekeepers in the country are small-scale producers with limited capacity to invest in recovery when a season goes wrong, and 2025 went wrong on a scale they describe as unmatched in the past 40 years. The frost followed several years of drought and came at a time when producers were already facing higher production costs and disrupted supply chains linked to the war in Ukraine. Late frosts struck between March and May, during the flowering of fruit crops, and severely reduced nectar resources.

“FAO and the Government of Japan have been reliable partners for the agrifood sector of the Republic of Moldova over many years, and this intervention comes at a timely moment for our fruit growers and beekeepers,” said Vasile Șarban, State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. “We particularly value an approach that helps producers recover while leaving them better equipped for the seasons ahead.”

Participants acknowledged the strategic importance of the two value chains considering the high quality, value addition and the predominance of the European Union market in the export of these Moldovan agriculture goods. At the same time they discussed the needs of the two sectors and opportunities for joint support activities and reviewed how Farmer Field Schools and demonstration plots can serve as shared platforms for fruit growers and beekeepers. They also put forward recommendations for adjusting the project workplan and identifying ways to link it with other initiatives underway in the sector.

"Agriculture is fundamental to the economy of the Republic of Moldova and to the well-being of its rural communities," said Kazuyuki Takeuchi, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Moldova. "Japan believes that cooperation, knowledge-sharing and innovation are essential for building resilience. We are pleased to support FAO's efforts to help the country's horticulture and apiculture sectors adapt to climate change and continue contributing to economic development."

Over the coming months, the project will establish three Farmer Field Schools with demonstration plots equipped with anti-frost kits. It will train producers from the two sectors in frost and drought management, pollination and climate-smart practices. It also will supply beekeepers from ten districts affected by the frost with syrup, protein patties and technical advisory services to sustain their colonies. At least 30 percent of direct beneficiaries will be women and young farmers, in line with FAO’s commitment to leave no one behind. Around a thousand farmers are expected to be reached indirectly, through exchanges among producers.

“Feeding inputs will keep colonies alive this season. What will keep them alive in five years is knowledge – knowing how to read frost risk, when to act, and how orchards and apiaries can work in each other’s favor,” said Tudor Robu, Assistant FAO Representative in the Republic of Moldova. “That is why every beekeeper we support with inputs will also be supported with training, and why fruit growers and beekeepers will be learning side by side.”

The project Emergency Support for Responding to Frost’s Consequences on the Agriculture Sector through Consolidating the Horticulture–Apiculture Nexus in the Republic of Moldova runs until March 2027.