Strengthening Capacities of Dairy Farmers from Northern Moldova

An internship program at dairy farms in Visergad countries helps small and medium dairy farmers from Northern Moldova learn sustainable techniques for increasing production; improving products' quality; and raising farming profitability.

Agriculture in Moldova produces 16% of GDP, creates 45% of exports and employs 30% of the workforce. However, it is also the agriculture sector where there is the highest poverty rate compared to other economic sectors, which is due to farmers‘ lack of business skills; poor productivity; and low products‘ quality and quantity.

To contribute to know-how enhancement of northern Moldova‘s dairy farmers, Moldovan NGO Pro Cooperare Regionala cooperated with faith-based development organizations from Visegrad Group countries on establishing an internship program at dairy farms in the Czech Republic. Thanks to the project, 7 dairy farmers recruited in Moldova traveled to 3 different Czech dairy farms for a 12-day high intensity training supervised by experienced dairy farmers. During their stays in the Czech Republic, the Moldovan farmers also had an opportunity to visit dairy farm in other project partner countries. Since the project focused on capacity building, it also included 2 day conference in Prague, with agricultural experts from Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic who focused in their lectures on identified knowledge gaps, such as the fodder crop production, animal nutrition, food safety, livestock breeding, farm waste management or agricultural marketing.

As a result, 7 Moldovan farmers now apply the acquired practices and knowledge on their own farm and also share their know-how through local workshops organized for other farmers around Moldova.

The project is co-funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.