Diversification of energy sources by installing photovoltaic panels, providing kindergartens with equipment and furniture, equipping peasant households, initiatives to promote rural tourism are some of the projects that will be launched this year in 14 villages in the Cahul and Ungheni regions. The villages, beneficiaries of funding, are members of two Local Action Groups (LAGs) winners of the grants competition conducted by EU4Moldova programme, funded by EU and implemented by UNDP and UNICEF.

Thus, the Local Action Group “Lunca Prutului de Jos” from Cahul and the Local Action Group “Răzeșii Pyretusului” from Ungheni benefit from assistance of €50,000 each. Each beneficiary Local Action Group launched local calls for project funding, after which 18 initiatives were selected.

The new projects will create at least six permanent jobs in the two LAGs and contribute to the sustainable development of communities in the two focal regions. The Local Action Group “Răzeșii Pyretusului” will support ten local projects in the Ungheni region.

“I'm happy that thanks to this grant, rural communities benefit: the kindergartens in the villages of Blindești and Izvoare will be modernized, waste management will be improved in Sculeni and local companies will be equipped with modern and energy-efficient technologies,” says Maria Strechi, director of the “Răzeșii Pyretusului” LAG.

In the Cahul region, the Local Action Group “Lunca Prutului de Jos” will support eight other local projects.

“In 2023, with the support of the ‘EU4Moldova: Focal regions’ programme, we will contribute to increasing the standard of living in rural localities. The services provided by schools, kindergartens, and libraries will be improved by equipping them with IT equipment, furniture sets, and musical instruments. A first spa center based on natural medicine will be set up and beekeeping will be integrated into the range of touristic services in Lunca Prutului de Jos, along with gastronomic workshops, wine tastings or local crafts,” notes Eugenia Negru-Stoica, director of the “Lunca Prutului de Jos” LAG. 

Previously, four other LAGs from Cahul and Ungheni benefited from assistance in the total amount of €200,000.

In the Republic of Moldova, the activity of LAGs is regulated by the Law on local action groups. At the same time, based on the LEADER Programme, administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, LAGs registered in the Republic of Moldova can access subsidies of up to 5% from the National Fund for the Development of Agriculture and the Rural Environment.

The “EU4Moldova: Focal Regions” programme (2019-2024) supports smart, environmentally friendly, inclusive, and sustainable socio-economic development in the Cahul and Ungheni regions to ensure a better quality of life for citizens. The program has a total budget of €23 million, is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).