EU and UNDP launch initiative to enhance agricultural governance and rural employment in Moldova

The European Union, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched a three-year €3 million project aimed at strengthening digital governance in agriculture and improving employment opportunities for vulnerable populations in rural Moldova. 

The EU-funded initiative will focus on improving access to employment services through digital transformation of the National Employment Agency. It will also support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture in expanding the Digital National Farmers Register nationwide – a key step towards establishing the Integrated Administration and Control System aligned with the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. 

“By expanding digital tools nationwide, we are making public services more efficient, transparent, and accessible to every citizen. Building a National Farmers Register is vital for Moldova’s EU accession as it ensures compliance with the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy requirements,” said Iwona Piórko, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova. “It benefits citizens and the farming community by ensuring fair access to agricultural subsidies, improving food safety and traceability, and supporting rural development through better-informed agricultural policies.” 

“The Digital National Farmers Register is one of the most important tools for our country’s agriculture. Through this system, we will know exactly who works the land, what crops they grow and under what conditions they operate. This will make the process of granting subsidies more predictable and simpler for every farmer,” said Ludmila Catlabuga, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry.

The National Employment Agency will be assisted in developing a modern and interoperable Management Information System to replace outdated platforms and improve access to employment services for all. The new system will enable online registration, automatic matching of jobseekers with vacancies, and better coordination between employment and social assistance programmes. 

It will also introduce integrated case management tools that allow employment counsellors to tailor support to vulnerable groups – including hard-to-employ, women, youth, people with disabilities, and returning migrants – helping them connect to training, jobs, and other types of support. 

In parallel, the project will strengthen the National Employment Agency’s analytical and forecasting capacity, allowing for data-driven policy decisions and improved collaboration with employers at the national and local levels.

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Press release