Seven American consultants will assist Moldovan agribusiness in September with the support of the Farmer-to-Farmer Program

Seven experts with considerable experience in agribusiness consulting will pay work visits to Moldova this year in the month of September in order to assist various agribusinesses. The experts were selected on a contest basis in order to voluntarily provide assistance with the support of the Farmer-to-Farmer Program (FtF), implemented in our country by the USAID-funded organization CNFA.

Jim Resick is an extension agent with the University of Wisconsin with extensive experience in community development. During his assignment to Moldova between September 2 and September 16, James Resick will provide a general evaluation for Agribusiness Park INAGRO, working with its founding organization - the Agency for Innovation and Technology Transfer (AITT) at the Moldovan Academy of Sciences. The purpose is to assess the organization’s progress since its recent start-up. The expert will also provide training in fundraising to these two organizations. The goal of the provided assistance is to increase the number of the Park’s farmer residents and expand the services it offers them.

Between September 2 and September 18, Bill Goeres, a dairy farmer and livestock production specialist from Washington State will address dairy cattle husbandry and animal production issues with Prenco Grigorii Farm from the village of Brânzenii Noi, Teleneşti district. The expert will provide training on calf production, herd maintenance and expansion, artificial insemination, and animal disease prevention and treatment. Moreover, the assistance will also focus on developing a nutrition optimization program and creating a forage crop production structure.

Ron Stratton is both president and owner of a meat processing facility from the United States. From September 9 till September 24 he will focus on a detailed redesigning of each compartment of the slaughterhouse owned by Total-Gnatiuc LTD from the village of Fundurii Vechi, Glodeni district. Moreover, the expert will also assess the meat market in Moldova, as well as slaughterhouse construction and operation equipment, and will also study food safety regulations.

David Doll is an almond production specialist with the University of California who will visit Moldova between September 8 and September 24. The expert’s main activity will be to provide a general almond production assessment for Vlasov Vladimir Family Farm from the village of Ruseşti, Anenii Noi district. David Doll will provide the business with recommendations in order to increase the managerial and production performance, including through business planning with prior estimation of challenges and opportunities. The assistance provided by the expert will also address the most efficient storage and processing techniques, as well as the required equipment in order to perform these operations.

Robert Reel is a bank specialist from Omaha, Nebraska who will work in Moldova between September 13 and September 25 in order to approach agricultural lending risks. During his visit to Moldova, the expert will conduct Training of Trainers activities for 15 specialists, direct IFAD beneficiaries from micro-credit institutions, on identifying and managing delinquent loans, as well as loans monitoring. Later on, the participants in the training will disseminate the skills and knowledge they have acquired by conducting similar trainings for other specialists from the organizations they are employed in.

Moreover, two other American experts, Dr. Dan Miller and Dr. Jim Worstell will continue their activity from August, and will conduct trainings on matters of veterinary science and general cooperative assessment, respectively.

The FtF program provides the farmers’ groups, cooperatives, and agribusinesses with the opportunity to benefit from free American consultancy in order to improve their performances, by ensuring them a professional approach of the technical and financial matters. The assistance is provided to the companies and farmers that have proven a strong commitment and clear ideas for achieving superior results, and have a verified track record of successful business operation. The consultancy is provided during a period of up to three weeks for two strategic agricultural sub-sectors - production of fruit and vegetables and dairy products.

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CNFA is an organization for international development from USA, established in 1985, which is dedicated to increasing rural incomes by empowering farmers and rural entrepreneurs. CNFA activity is focused on agricultural development based on initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and finance for businesses. CNFA has a successful track record of performance in Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, and has managed over $200 million in donor-funded agriculture development programs over the past decade. In the Republic of Moldova, CNFA is currently implementing the five-year Farmer-to-Farmer Program, worth $2.5 million, and has recently concluded the $12 million-worth Agribusiness Development Program.

For details please contact Nadejda MOCANU, Farmer-to-Farmer Program Coordinator (tel.: 022 240-311, 069 260-005), nmocanu@moldova.cnfa.org, www.cnfa.md)