MCC
Participants in an agriculture investment and trade roundtable, organized by MCC and MCA-Moldova, discussed sector exposure, business climate and policy reforms aimed at attracting foreign investment to Moldova.
MCC’s five-year, $262 million compact with Moldova was designed to help farmers living in poverty seize greater opportunities by growing higher-value crops to compete in regional markets. To maximize impact and promote investment in Moldova, MCC’s team in Chisinau and MCA-Moldova organized a high-value agriculture investment and trade roundtable this summer to connect Moldovan farmers with businesses from abroad.
U.S. Ambassador to Moldova James D. Pettit kicked off the roundtable highlighting opportunities the compact has created in the Moldovan agriculture sector. Moldovan and international businesses shared developments and trends in agriculture, made new contacts and discussed new partnerships for doing business in the high-value agriculture sector.
Pettit underscored the opportunity the compact has created for both local and international businesses.
“For those of you looking for new agribusiness investment and trade opportunities, Moldova has a lot to offer,” he said.
Roundtable participants received important trade and investment information and sector exposure, including the latest trends in productivity and post-harvest advancements in fruits, vegetables and other high-value agricultural products. Discussions also addressed the current investment and trade climate and reforms in place to attract foreign direct investment and expand trade partnerships.
During the forum, regional John Deere representative Dirk Stratmann said that business in Moldova is “permanently improving.”
Jim Muir of California-based RCM Digesters attended to seek opportunities for using biogas, or gas mixtures, for agricultural purposes.
“Since the wine industry accounts for 20 percent of GDP and employs 27 percent of Moldova’s labor force, RCM feels that Moldova is one of the ideal places on earth for our process,” he said.
The second part of the event included field tours to three MCC compact sites, where participants saw advances in water resource management, alternative energy sources for agriculture and cold storage technologies.
American entrepreneur Basil Nikas, of Bacchus Roads, is exploring ways to brand and market Moldovan wine exports and called the roundtable a “total success.”
“The site visits gave us a chance to see real accomplishments, both from compact programs and other initiatives,” he said. “Our visit and participation has led to at least a half dozen initiatives that we are actively pursuing.”
The compact’s $125.4 million Transition to High Value Agriculture Project is designed to increase agricultural incomes by stimulating the production and improved marketing of high-value fruit and vegetables. The project funded the rehabilitation of 10 pumping stations to improve the quantity and quality of irrigation water for more than 37,000 acres. MCC’s investments also expanded access to agricultural loans to help farmers invest in their farms and also improved key agricultural policies in collaboration with the Government of Moldova.
Beneficiaries of MCC investments routinely share stories of how their lives have changed for the better. After a compact is completed, MCC funds independent evaluations of project impact, which can be found in our evaluation catalog.