The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will launch a pilot project to enhance fresh fruit consumption by children and students of public schools and kindergartens. At the moment, they consume only two thirds of the quantity recommended by the World Health Organization. Besides the benefits for the children’s health, this project will benefit economically fruit producers and processors.

This initiative is carried out in the framework of the “Innovative business development for local sustainable economic growth” Project, financed by the Government of Norway and UNDP Moldova, which intends to promote innovations in SMEs sector, by transfer and sharing of knowledge, technologies and communication. The project is implemented during 2014-2017.

“This deep-rooted problem needs an innovative solution, which would draw attention and involve private sector, and community as well, in order to mobilize funds and educate children in the spirit of a healthy style”, said Dumitru Vasilescu, project manager at UNDP Moldova.

Thus, children from schools and kindergartens of Chisinau could benefit from daily portions of fresh fruits, processed and packed in an attractive way.

At this stage, UNDP Moldova conducted a market analysis and of possibilities of technologic transfer in this direction.

A fund-raising campaign will be carried out in order to afford the piloting. Donors, parents, schools, national and external partners will be involved in this campaign.

At the same time, a national competition for cooperation projects between fresh producers and processors was launched today, to respond to the challenge of enhancing fresh fruit consumption.

Also, public schools and kindergartens from Chisinau will have the opportunity of participating within a competition to sign up for the pilot project.

If successfully, UNDP will extend the pilot-project at national scale.