Friday, 26 February 2021, 10:00h

Research Institute of Field Crops (RIFC) “Selectia”, Bălți, 28 Calea Ieşilor str.

 Today, 26 February 2021, with the support of the European Union, the Research Institute of Field Crops (RIFC) “Selectia” from Balti, received a donation of high-performance equipment for sowing. In addition, the Selectia Institute and other 4 entities received rapid scanners for the detection of GMOs and mycotoxins.

The event is organised within the framework of the project “DevRAM Part I – Increasing the competitiveness of the agri-food sector through integration to domestic and global value chains, in particular in the soya sector” financed by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), in partnership with the Pro Didactica Educational Center and the Donau Soja Association from Austria. One of the main objectives of the project is to improve access to markets and increase the demand for certified and organic agri-food products in national and foreign markets.

The project has successfully collaborated with RIFC “Selectia” on the transfer of knowledge to farmers through jointly organised demonstration platforms and field days that enabled farmers to learn about the best available technologies in soya cultivation and identify the most productive soya varieties and inputs available on the market.

The transferred equipment will contribute to strengthen the capacities of the Institute and ensure a high-quality seeding process, leading to better results on the demonstration platforms, empowering the local scientists and researchers to improve the quality of research and transfer of know-how to soya producers.

At the same time, a monitoring visit to the newly equipped Laboratory of the Center for Excellence in Services and Food Processing in Balti was undertaken. The Laboratory received, within the DevRAM project, an electric convection and steam oven, a water filter, a leavener, a planetary mixer and an electronic scale. The laboratory will be the space for continuous training courses, which will be attended by teachers from VET institutions and by all those interested in professional growth.

The new training facilities will allow 150 students from the “Food technology” specialty and 60 students from the “Confectioner” specialty to acquire practical skills needed in the labour market, which will facilitate their future professional integration. Over the next 10 years, this equipment will allow students to practice and acquire practical skills and abilities in the following areas: the manufacturing process, promotion of new technologies, development of new recipes, hygiene and safety in food preparation, serving consumers in public catering units and other aspects.

Mr. Mihail Machidon, State Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment, who attended the event, referred to the importance of modernizing the agricultural sector in Moldova and aligning it with European standards in order to facilitate the access of Moldovan producers to international markets. He mentioned that the recently developed National Action Plan for soya sector development in Moldova will contribute to increase the soya cultivation and processing in the Republic of Moldova.

Mrs. Magdalena Mueller-Uri, Head of Operations, EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, underlined that investing in the development of rural areas in the Republic of Moldova is a key priority for the European Union, in particular by providing opportunities to accelerate economic growth through support to the business, research and education sectors.

Stella Avallone, Austrian Ambassador to Republic of Moldova, mentioned that Austria and Moldova are closely connected by a vast scale of activities, in the field of economy, the security sector, education and culture. The development cooperation is focusing on labor-oriented and inclusive education, on environment, water and climate change, as well as on governance, rule of law and peace-building. Between 1997 and 2019 Austria’s` projects in these fields amounted to altogether around 58 mio. Euros and Austria remains committed to continue its support to Moldova for the next period.

For more information, please contact Donau Soja Moldova team at malai@donausoja.org or tel.079536418.