The Team Europe initiative ‘Sustainable Food Systems’, which aims to increase the resilience of the agri-food sector in the Republic of Moldova, will help farmers better cope with external shocks and climate-related challenges. With a budget of €8.5 million, funded by the European Union and the Czech Republic, the four-year project will introduce state-of-the-art solutions and proven European practices to modernize agriculture and strengthen rural communities.
By addressing the vulnerabilities in the country’s agri-food sector, the project will be focused on integrating innovative farming techniques, business development, and institutional capacity-building processes. It foresees to implement proven European practices, such as soil laboratory testing and safe use of biocides, or building a digital Organic Agricultural Register, as well as expert, farm and industry knowledge and experience exchange and cooperation.
“Only through such a comprehensive and multilateral approach, we manage to answer the needs of those that aim at the development of the sector, of the farmers to become more resilient and to integrate into the value chains, and simultaneously to enhance the capacities and digitalize the domain”, said Ina Butucel, Deputy Secretary of the State, Ministry of the Agriculture and Food Industry.
By bringing together innovation and international cooperation, the initiative lays the groundwork for a more sustainable, resilient, and competitive agri-food sector in Moldova.
“This Team Europe Initiative ‘Sustainable Food Systems’ confirms the EU commitment to concrete support of farmers and businesses to become more competitive and resilient – adapt to climate change, adopt sustainable practices, access new markets and prepare for the integration into the EU single market”, stated Adam Grodizcki, Deputy Head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation to the Republic of Moldova.
The launch of the ‘Sustainable Food Systems’ project brought together over 40 representatives of national and international organizations, underscoring the strong interest in how this €8.5 million investment could transform Moldova’s agri-food sector – making it stronger, more resilient, and sustainable for the future.
„The Czech Development Agency has been cooperating with the Republic of Moldova for many years, and agriculture has always been one of the key areas of our joint work. This project is about practical delivery—stronger services for farmers, climate-smart practices, and clearer paths to markets. Our approach is straightforward: test what works, scale what proves value, and retire what doesn’t—fast. With the commitment of everyone around this table, I’m confident we can make measurable progress. If we keep to that, the sector will leave this project with better tools, stronger institutions, and more competitive farms“, said Michal Minčev, Director of the Czech Development Agency.
The Team Europe initiative ‘Sustainable Food Systems’ is financed by the European Union and Czech Republic, and implemented by Czech Development Agency, Solidarity Fund PL in Moldova, and Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Center. The initiative, with a budget of € 8.5 million, will be implemented over four years, by June 2029.
