World Bank provides 10-million-dollar credit to Moldova to mitigate drought consequences
The World Bank’s Board of executive directors approved on 19 March a 10-million-dollar credit intended for Moldovan agriculture in order to mitigate the last year’s drought consequences.
The Moldova emergency agriculture support project will diminish the risk of amplification of the 2012 draught consequences in 2013, World Bank Country Manager for Moldova Abdoulaye Seck said. Seck added that the project would provide monetary benefits to farmers of most hit districts, who had seeded wheat in the autumn of 2012 and who would cultivate corn in 2013.
The emergency support is provided in line with the World Bank’s Partnership Strategy for Moldova. This project supplements other two projects, which presently are under way, namely the «Disaster and climate risk management in Moldova» and the «Moldova agriculture competitiveness».
The World Bank’s financial assistance will be provided to wheat and corn producers. It will also be meant to purchase fodder in order to prevent the decrease in the number of animals in the most hit districts.
The last summer´s severe drought compromised the harvest of wheat, corn, sunflower and of other plants and led to a 29.2 per cent decrease in the agricultural gross product, according to data of the National Bureau of Statistics.
The state has allotted cereal producers compensations of 119.90 lei per hectare, to partially cover the autumn seeding expenses for the 2013 harvest. The farmers have received a 499-lei allowance per animal to purchase fodder cereals.
According to a regulation approved by the government, 50 million lei will be allotted in order to mitigate the 2012 drought consequences and to support producers who seeded autumn wheat for the 2013 harvest, as well as to preserve the livestock.
Since joining the World Bank in 1992, Moldova has benefited from a total amount of 950 million dollars, designed for the implementation of 46 projects all over the country. Presently, the World Bank’s portfolio includes 12 active projects with a total engagement of 296 million dollars. The covered areas are: education, social assistance, e-governing, healthcare system, water and sewerage systems, agriculture, business development and others.
Adapted from Moldpres