Moldovan farmers receive critical support amid drought, economic crisis

“We were facing a devastating drought, and with the rising costs of everything, I wasn’t sure how we would keep going.”

This story from Irina, a young farmer from the southern part of the Republic of Moldova, is not unique. Over the past two years, Moldovan farmers have faced a devastating drought, economic hardship and the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine, jeopardizing their livelihoods.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with important financial support from the Austrian Development Agency and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, responded promptly to this crisis. Through a joint project with the United Nations Development Programme, FAO provided emergency support to more than 17 000 vulnerable small-scale farmers and households across 23 districts of the country.

Last Friday, FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry of the Republic of Moldova celebrated the project’s achievements at a closing workshop in Chisinau. The event brought together key partners, beneficiaries and government officials to reflect on the project’s impact and discuss the future of the country’s agriculture sector.

Iurie Scripnic, State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, expressed his gratitude for the project’s impact: “This project has not only helped our farmers overcome immediate challenges but also has laid the groundwork for a more resilient and productive agricultural sector.”

The project delivered a powerful combination of essential agricultural inputs, such as drought-resistant seeds that enabled farmers to continue production and thus feed their cattle. It also provided training programmes that enabled farmers to build more resilient and sustainable livelihoods with improved knowledge and skills in climate-smart agriculture practices, livestock management and agribusiness development.

“This project has been a lifeline for Moldovan farmers,” said Raimund Jehle, FAO Representative in the Republic of Moldova. “By providing essential support and building capacity, we have helped ensure that vulnerable households have access to food and can continue to contribute to the country’s agricultural sector.”

More than 1 200 vulnerable households received drought-resistant maize seeds and fertilizer, leading to improved harvests and mitigating the effects of the war in Ukraine. Similarly, more than 5 000 households benefited from high-quality seed potatoes that boosted yields and promoted sustainable farming practices.   

Small-scale vegetable producers also saw significant benefits, with over 500 receiving support packages that helped increase production and sales. Livestock farmers were not forgotten, with 600-plus receiving alfalfa seeds that helped them generate sustainable animal feed and practice good agricultural practices through crop rotation.

Recognizing the challenges faced by livestock farmers, the project also provided 7 800 vulnerable families with 400 kg each of high-quality animal feed. This support helped them maintain their livestock and increase milk production by 10–25 percent, on average, contributing to the country’s overall food security. Finally, 178 farmers severely affected by the extremely high temperatures in July 2024 received over 400 tonnes of certified winter wheat seeds, providing a lifeline against further debt and financial loss. As a result of this wheat seed support, farmers now can provide essential agricultural products to the hundreds of vulnerable households from whom they lease land shares.

To ensure accountability and responsiveness to farmers’ concerns, the project established local grievance and redress mechanisms. Post-distribution monitoring surveys were conducted to assess the impacts of interventions and gather valuable feedback for future initiatives. This data will contribute to a more robust and responsive agricultural support system.

The project’s success demonstrates the value of timely and targeted support for farmers facing multiple challenges. By providing essential inputs, training and capacity building, FAO, Switzerland and Austria have contributed to a more resilient and productive agriculture sector in the Republic of Moldova. The total budget of the project was roughly USD 3.6 million, with just over USD 2.3 million provided by Switzerland and the rest coming from Austria.