Following the success of its first edition, UNEP has organised a second training event as part of its national awareness-raising campaign on organic agriculture in Moldova.

The event was organised under the EU funded ‘Greening Economies in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood’ programme (EaP-GREEN ) and brought together 20 farmers from different regions of Moldova on 2 October 2015.

Organic agriculture is vital in reversing environmental degradation, preserving ecosystem functionality and mitigating and building resilience to climate change. At the same time, it offers the potential for new jobs, business opportunities and trade links for a broader transition to a Green Economy. Within the framework of the EaP-GREEN programme, UNEP is leading an initiative to promote organic production and trade in three pilot countries.

The two training workshops in Moldova have been instrumental in informing local farmers – who cultivate an agricultural area of over 1100 ha - about crop-specific organic practices, national agricultural policies, organic certification procedure and the marketing aspects of organic production. Several participants encouraged further capacity building and are now in the process of preparing a tailored business plan for the conversion from conventional to organic agricultural and livestock practices under EaP-GREEN.

Throughout the main harvest season in September and October, support was provided to Moldovan farmers were to attend local agricultural festivals and fairs, such as the ‘Bostaniada’ Pumpkin Festival and the four-day FARMER exhibition. The latter gave smallholders the opportunity to present their organic products, thereby fostering interaction with consumers and further raising the profile of organic agriculture in the country.

Alongside numerous capacity-building activities for farmers and producers, a seminar and exchange of ideas on how organic agriculture and consumption can be promoted through educational institutions was conducted on 7 October for teachers from six Moldovan regions.

The event was broadcast on national TV and laid the groundwork for a dedicated thematic week on organic agriculture in eleven educational institutions taking place across the country.

The thematic week provided a unique opportunity to reach out to teachers, school children and parents and will be accompanied by a national TV spot encouraging consumers to choose organic products and boosting the domestic organic market.

For more information please get in touch with nina.schneider@unep.org