Agro-Business

With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the agricultural sector experienced many changes. Old structured "kholhozes", or collective farms, have practically disappeared and newly independent farmers have begun organizing themselves into farmers associations and cooperatives. The challenges facing Moldova's agricultural sector are related to a sudden shift in management style: from a centralized management structure in large Soviet collective farms to a decentralized form of decision-making in privately owned small farms. Though skilled at the basics of farming, farmers lack the basic knowledge and information necessary to sell their products both domestically and internationally in a market economy. Agriculture and Agribusiness Development (AAD) Volunteers are working with information centers for farmers, extension offices, mayor's offices in rural areas, and farmer associations throughout Moldova to improve their abilities for both production and marketing of those products.

The first Agribusiness Volunteers joined Small Business Development Volunteers in June of 1998, and in the next year the Small Business Development Project was restructured into an Agriculture and Agribusiness Development Project. The majority of the first Agribusiness Volunteers had general business backgrounds. Volunteers, with and without agriculture backgrounds, learned that their most effective work started by working alongside individual farmers, farmers groups and service providers. Successful initial activities include the establishment of demonstration plots, development of small producers groups, and development of networking options for sharing information.

In response to needs in the agribusiness sector, PC Moldova is strengthening work with agribusiness and farmer associations by requesting Volunteers with backgrounds in business concentrations that support and complement Volunteers in agriculture and agribusiness. The work of Agriculture and Agribusiness Specialists is to strengthen economic development activities in the agriculture sector. The majority of work will focus on building acceptance of farmers associations, sharing of technical information on organization and farm management, introducing new crops for marketing diversity, managing private farms as business enterprises, organizational development of the information dissemination and farm consulting centers.

The AAD Project has been developed over the past years to reflect Peace Corps Moldova's emphasis on rural development. This focus is in accordance with the Peace Corps' approach of working with communities. From the grass roots level, Peace Corps Volunteers help Moldovans link with resources that are a part of international efforts such as US AID and other international donors. The Agriculture/Agribusiness Project reflects the importance of agriculture to Moldova's economic development and an emphasis on integrating youth in Moldovan economic development.