Training Agricultural Producers is an Important Component of the USAID-funded Agribusiness Development Project in Moldova Sixty-five farmers participated in study tours to five leading Moldovan production enterprises that have successfully implemented advanced vegetable production technologies.
June 7, 2005
This April CNFA organized a competition and selected 65 agricultural producers for participation in domestic study tours. Selection criteria included applicants’ experience in vegetable production and marketing, entrepreneurship skills proven by farm production and sales trends, interest in adopting modern farm practices, as well as previous involvement in training and technical assistance programs.
The main goal of these study tours was to train producers in modern technologies for production of early vegetable varieties for the fresh market. Participants learned how to extend the growing season by using anti-frost Agril covers, plastic tunnels, heating systems for greenhouses and mulching.
 The study tours included visits to two enterprises in Criuleni region, Interconsult Ltd. specialized in production of strawberries and vegetables under drip irrigation, and Verde-Mondial Ltd. with a state-of-the-art plastic tunnel facility for vegetable growing. The farmers also visited a 600 square meter greenhouse operation in Pugaceni and a demonstrational plot with a small-scale plastic tunnel system implemented by the local ACSA extension office. Lastly, participants went to Serele Moldovei in Speia where they studied glass greenhouse vegetable production.
Study tour participants learned how producing vegetables under controlled environments extends the growing season and protects output against early frosts, rain and hail damage. Tunnel systems, for instance, allow planting of vegetables in early April and harvesting as late as November.
Only 200 hectares are currently under greenhouses and tunnels in Moldova whereas Turkey, for example, produces vegetables under controlled environments on over 53,000 hectares. At the same time, Turkey exports only 5% of its total vegetable production, and yet is a leading supplier to European and CIS markets. In 2004 alone, Moldova imported over 20% of its fresh vegetable supply from Turkey. This information was obtained in April 2005 during a study tour organized by ADP in Turkey.
Farmers participating in the domestic study tours received a complete set of information that would allow them to make needed adjustments for the next agricultural season. The next step after the study tours is to provide targeted technical assistance to agricultural producers. Starting this June, farmers can apply directly to ADP for technical consultations from CNFA’s local experts.
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