14.11.2011 PRESS-RELEASE   On the date of 18/11/2011, Caritas Czech Republic in partnership with NGO"ProRuralInvest" will  launch the project “Support the use of remittances for new businesses and jobs creation”,  financed by European Commission and Czech Development Agency, and implemented by Caritas  Czech Republic in partnership with Public Association „ProRuralInvest”. The project provides  capacity building of migrants so that they become able to initiate and develop their own  "economic enterprises" in the future. In this sense, the project will contribute to training and  motivation of Moldovan migrants who have returned home, to invest financial resources they had  earned abroad in the local entrepreneurship. At the same time, the project will enhance local  capacity and motivation to support small business development.  The specific objective of the project is fostering entrepreneurship skills of migrants and remittance  recipients in Moldova as well as use of remittances to create private business. The target group  consisting of at least 900 members of families receiving remittances, migrants returned and  senders of remittances in Moldova will receive systemic knowledge, clear examples of resource  management and entrepreneurship, as well as assistance/facilitation during registration and/or  first basic guidance on business and accounting issues. Migrants will be familiar with existing  revenue generating systems and also with existing responsible institutions.  Project implementation will lead to achieving the following results:  • Carrying out of an  information campaign in the North, Central and South regarding the  objectives and results;  • Conduct a study on sustainable business opportunities in each region: North, Central, South;  • Develop and distribution of the "Guide of business opportunities" ( 4000 copies);  • Conduct trainings on starting up a business, for at least 900 people  • Register and launch 150 businesses, developing business plans for each of them;  • Provide post-creation assistance for all business initiatives by June2014;  • Elaboration and dissemination of the brochure “Entrepreneur Success Stories” in 3000  copies; • Organization of 3 study visits to Romania by sharing experience in remittance investment  opportunities.  The project “Support the use of remittances for new businesses and jobs creation” aims to create  and develop private businesses and jobs in the areas where the migrants come from as well as  the members of their families who received remittances. The project will have a positive impact  not only on project beneficiaries, but also on the regions' economic development in the medium  and long term.    Sincerely, Viorel GHERCIU President NGO “ProRuralInvest”       21.07.2011 Today, 21 July 2010, at 10. 00, in the Conference Hall of the government building, a conference held to launch the project ,,Encouraging innovative use of remittances in productive rural investments”.  The project is financially supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)  and is conducted by the Business Consulting Institute (Moldova) in partnership with  ProRuralInvest (Moldova) and the Foundation for Economic Development and European  Integration (Romania).  The project aims to develop entrepreneurial and managerial skills for back home migrants and  recipients of remittances to increase investment on remittances.   The target group is: families who received remittances, as a rule, people in rural areas and  returning emigrants. The country is implementing the project is the Republic of Moldova and the  target area is the center region (12 districts: Noi, Calarasi, Criuleni Dubasari Hincesti Ialoveni  Nisporeni Rezina Straseni Soldanesti, Telenesti Ungheni, including small towns and their rural).  The project wishes to familiarize local governments and beneficiaries of remittances to launch new  business opportunity, creating new jobs through entrepreneurial and managerial capacity and  redirecting remittances towards productive investment power consumption. The conference was  attended by representatives of the media, the central government, local governments of the  region I and II of the center and members of civil society.        29.06.2011 Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics started implementing the Project in the  Republic of Moldova  On 30 June 2011 Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics (LIAE) signed a contract of the  project „Sthrengthening of the Competence for the Sertification of Organic Agriculture and  Presenting the Experience of Consulting System in the Republic of Moldova“ that is financed by  the Development Cooperation and Democracy Promotion Program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs  of the Republic of Lithuania.  Main aims of the project are:  1) raise the qualifications and skills of Moldova’s certification inspectors, deepening their  knowledge of livestock certification;  2) present main principles of Lithuanian consulting system for organic farming.   This project is the first initiative of the program „Strengthening the Capacity of Ensuring Eco-  agricultural Development in the Republic of Moldova“ and was succesfully implemented in 2010.  LIAE have already started implementing the second project of this program – Lithuanian experts  are preparing materials for trainings of sertification specialists of Moldova and a short  presentation for stakeholders/interests about the consulting system for organic farming in  Lithuania: institutions, ways/methods of providing the information in the consulting process and  etc. in order to reach the main goals mentioned above. The trainings are expected to be held in  Moldova at the end of August 2011.  All activities of the project are expected to be implemented till the middle of November 2011.        27.05.2011 On May 27, 2011 ended theNr. 8 training on ,,How to start a business” organized within  the project ,,Encourage innovative use of remittances in productive rural investments”.  At the training that was organized in four districts in the central area of the country (Rezina  ,Soldanesti, Criuleni and Dubasari) participated 180 people willing to create a business. People  participating in the training are part of the following target groups:   1) Family members are intended for remittances, usually - poor people from the rural area;  2) People who have returned home to work abroad; 3) People who work over abroad and send money to families and relatives back home.         25.09.2010 Saturday, 25th of September 2010, AO "ProRuralInvest" organized waste collection action on both sides of the road which crosses the National Forests Orhei. Activity included in the  "GREEN STEPS for promoting eco-tourism in Codri Orheiului area”project financed by World Bank Office in Moldova. The waste collection group of volunteers participated in a number of 18 students from High School "Onisifor Ghibu" Orhei, Deputy Director Ms. Trupceac. Each student was equipped with gloves and polythene bags. Were involved with over 40 bags of waste volume of 120 liters each, ie approx.4800 liters of various wastes (plastic, polyethylene, crockery, glass, etc..).Waste transportation was provided by "Drumuri Orhei” SA, with the support of Mr. Valeriu Braila, president of the association. Also in this day of national celebration of cleanliness in Romania at the event occurred "Let's do it, Romania!" (150,000 volunteers from all over the country), an ample collection of waste. Following this action have been rounded up 187,000 bags of trash.      18.09.2010 NGO “ProRuralInvest” in cooperation with the Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics implements the Project “Strengthening of the Administrative Capacity and Competence for Certification of Organic Agriculture in the Republic of Moldova” that is financed by the Development Cooperation and Democracy Promotion Programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. In the period of 14th and 18th September Lithuanian experts Virgilijus Skulskis, Ona Kaziene and Virginijus Masionis organized training course  for Moldovan inspectors from National Certification bodies such as “ Certificat –ECO” “CRPA” “ICEA“ , It total 18 persons have been trained in inspection and certification of organic production.. The training course contained the following subjects: - Situation in Lithuania on certification fields. - Organic seeds and plants. - Cattle’s on summer and winter time. - Certification procedures – difference between Moldavian and Lithuanian procedures. - Certification procedures – control and data bases. - Storage  - Transporting - Processing - Transition periods - Veterinary - Feeding  After training everyone received the certificate of completed training course on the procedure for cetrification in organic agriculture. Experts form Lithuania visited local Organic farm, where they discussed about methods of organic farming. This is the first project implemented in cooperation with our colleagues from Lithuanaia and we hope to develop our collaboration  and exchange experience for the promotion of sustainable ways of agriculture.       05.07.2010 NGO “ProRuralInvest” in cooperation with the Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics implements the Project “Strengthening of the Administrative Capacity and Competence for Certification of Organic Agriculture in the Republic of Moldova” that is financed by the Development Cooperation and Democracy Promotion Programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. In the period of 16th and 18th June organized a study visit in Lithuania has two inspectors from the Certification body " Certificat-Eco" and a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture.  During this visit were made the following activities: 1. Meeting with experts from the certification body for organic products "Ekoagros, a visit to control of the certification process in organic L. Mazuoliene farm (Laiciai village, Semeliskes, Elektrenai municipality) 2. Meeting with representatives of the Chamber of Agriculture of Lithuania and Mr. A. Gutkauskas director of public enterprise "Tatul program”, that are users of   “Ekoagros” services. 3. Meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture with S.Jasius, Director of Resources and Quality Policy Department,  and N. Jakubauskiene, Chief Specialist  of Agri-environment and Organic Farming Division 4. Meeting at the Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics with Director R. Melnikiene. Also in this project will be organized training for inspectors in the organic certification bodies in Moldova. Training will take place in mid September 2010.             25.06.2010 Study explores potential of organic agriculture in Moldova United Nations Environment Programme assesses role of sustainable agriculture in boosting exports, livelihoods and jobs across the region Wednesday, June 30 a second workshop will be held in Moldova as part of an international project by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to explore the potential to create a booming organic agriculture sector across Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Moldova, Armenia and Ukraine are the three countries chosen to participate in a Green Economy Initiative study which involved consulting a broad range of stakeholders in the region involved in the agriculture and environment sectors. UNEP is partnering with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) to examine the economic, employment, poverty reduction and environmental benefits that could be achieved through greater investment in sustainable agriculture in the Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) region. The workshop, will taking place in the meeting room of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, 168 Stefan Cel Mare  str 1 floor. at 08:30 am is being organised by NGO “ProRuralInvest” and will be attended by representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, producers, processors and representatives of organic certification companies. The study was build on the findings of a 2007 report on sustainable consumption by UNEP and the European Environment Agency which concluded that the EECCA region’s low use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, and its availability of workers presented good prospects for the growth and export of organic food products to Western Europe. According to the IFOAM, organic agriculture worldwide is developing rapidly with 35 million hectares of agricultural land managed organically by almost 1.4 million producers in over 150 countries, and the European Union is one of the world’s largest and fastest growing markets for organics. Yet the share of organic farmland in Ukraine and Moldova is less than 1%, while sustainable farming is just beginning in Armenia.  The national project in Moldova develop a package of policy reforms, investments and capacity building measures for fostering a transition to a Green Economy dominated by investment in, and consumption of, sustainable goods and services from the agriculture sector. The study is funded by the Government of Sweden. A final report is due to be issued in late 2010. Media contacts: NGO “ProRuralInvest” – Viorel Gherciu, Presidednt, +37322238939 or vgherciu@rural.md UNEP - Julie Marks, UNEP Regional Office for Europe, +41 22 917 84 04 or julie.marks@unep.org IFOAM - Markus Arbenz, Executive Director, +49 160 804 15 57 or m.arbenz@ifoam.org        10.06.2010 In April, the World Bank Office in Moldova announced grants Contest for Civil Society  Programme 2010 "Sustainable Development through Eco-tourism.  NGO "ProRuralInvest participated in the contest with the" Green steps to promote eco-tourism in  „Codri Orhei” area”. In early June were made an announce of  the results of all project proposals  and were selected only seven, including the project elaborated by of NGO "ProRuralInvest. On  06/09/2010 collaboration agreements were signed during a roundtable oragnized  at World Bank  headquarter, The activity where attended by this year's contest finalists, and those of 2009.  Project Green Steps for promoting eco-tourism in „Codri Orhei” area will take place on  06.16.2010, during 5.5 months, by November 2010. The key aim of the project is promoting eco-  tourism in ”Codri Orhei” area through conservation and biodiversity protection.         01.06.2010 NGO "ProRuralInvest and the UNDP with the "Biodiversity Conservation Education and Awareness Programme for Orhei region” in the context of creating the National Park Orhei  and “Environment  Day”  celebration, will hold a seminar in Orhei on this topic. The seminar will take place on 4th of June at 9:45AM  at the Orhei cultural palace, Address: MD-3500, Orhei town, Phone / Fax: 2-20-56. Department of Agriculture Orhei. Are invited  all mayors, school principals and culture palace principals from Orhei region.         20.05.2010 ProRuralInvest started project implementation „Providing consultancy services for developing and implementing awareness and education program on biodiversity conservation in the region Orhei” At this time the first objective of the project is done: Develop awareness programs and information on biodiversity conservation in the region Orhei.        03.05.2010   -    MEDIA RELEASE Study explores potential of organic agriculture in Moldova United Nations Environment Programme assesses role of sustainable agriculture in boosting exports, livelihoods and jobs across the region Wednesday, May 5th a workshop will be held in Moldova as part of an international project by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to explore the potential to create a booming organic agriculture sector across Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Moldova, Armenia and Ukraine are the three countries chosen to participate in a Green Economy Initiative study which will involve consulting a broad range of stakeholders in the region involved in the agriculture and environment sectors. UNEP is partnering with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) to examine the economic, employment, poverty reduction and environmental benefits that could be achieved through greater investment in sustainable agriculture in the Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) region. The workshop, taking place in the meeting room of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, 168 Stefan Cel Mare  str 1 floor. at 9:30 am is being organised by NGO “ProRuralInvest” and will be attended by Ms Rie Tsutsumi and Mr. Asad Naqvi from UNEP. The study will build on the findings of a 2007 report on sustainable consumption by UNEP and the European Environment Agency which concluded that the EECCA region’s low use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, and its availability of workers presented good prospects for the growth and export of organic food products to Western Europe. According to the IFOAM, organic agriculture worldwide is developing rapidly with 35 million hectares of agricultural land managed organically by almost 1.4 million producers in over 150 countries, and the European Union is one of the world’s largest and fastest growing markets for organics. Yet the share of organic farmland in Ukraine and Moldova is less than 1%, while sustainable farming is just beginning in Armenia.  Each national project in Ukraine, Armenia and Moldova will develop a package of policy reforms, investments and capacity building measures for fostering a transition to a Green Economy dominated by investment in, and consumption of, sustainable goods and services from the agriculture sector. The study is funded by the Government of Sweden. A final report is due to be issued in late 2010.       Media contacts: NGO “ProRuralInvest” – Viorel Gherciu, Presidednt, +37322238939 or vgherciu@rural.md UNEP - Julie Marks, UNEP Regional Office for Europe, +41 22 917 84 04 or julie.marks@unep.org IFOAM - Markus Arbenz, Executive Director, +49 160 804 15 57 or m.arbenz@ifoam.org       12 aprilie 2010        În cadrul Proiectului “Promovarea Agriculturii Ecologice prin mediatizarea cerinţelor UE şi armonizarea cadrului legislativ local la aceste cerinţe” grupul de lucru  al ProRuralInvest a elaborarat şi editat 2 broşiri:   1. „Metode agrotehnice de producţie a culturilor ecologice”  care cuprinde: - Metodele agrotehnice cum sunt: rotaţia culturilor, lucrările solului, fertilizarea, amendarea şi semănatul corespunzător, distrugerea buruienilor prin grăpat, plivit şi prăşit, cositul buruienilor, inundarea, mulcirea;        - Buruienele şi efectele pozitive asupra mediului;        - Aspecte specifice privind amenajarea terenurilor agricole în agricultura ecologică;        - Tehnologia cultivării cerealelor ţi a plantelor uleioase în sistem ecologic;        - Structura planului de afaceri    2. Conversiunea  la agricultura ecologica, planificarea si proceduri practice care cuprinde:         - Conversiunea – etapa iniţială al agriculturii ecologice        - Agricultura ecologică – care este scopul        - Etapele necesare la demararea procesului de conversiune.        - Cele mai dese întrebări si răspunsurile din partea specialiştilor        - Capcanele agriculturii ecologice        - Problemele agriculturii ecologice        - Grupurile de producători       10 martie 2010        In perioada 15-22 martie specialistii ProruralInvest impreuna cu reprezentanti ai Ministerului Agriculturii si Indusctriei Alimentare au participat la seminare de informare pentru agricultorii din raioanele Basarabeasca, Staseni, Cimislia, Soroca, Drochia si Riscani. La aceste seminare specialistii ProruralInvest au prezentat Regulilor specifice privind etichetarea si ambalarea produselor ecologice conform regulamentului UE 834/2007 Marca nationala ”Agricultura ecologica in Republica Moldova”. Inspectia si certificare productiei agroalimentare ecologica.       10 februarie 2010 ProRuralInvest a organizat la Cahul in incinta Consiliul Raional un  seminar in cadrul Proiectului “Promovarea Agriculturii Ecologice prin mediatizarea cerinţelor UE si armonizarea cadrului legislativ local la aceste cerinţe”cu Tema: ,,Agricultura ecologica reguli specifice, Tehnologiile de producţie în Agricultura Ecologica, Certificarea”. In cadrul seminarul s-au discutat urmatoarele aspecte:    * Regulilor specifice privind etichetarea si ambalarea produselor ecologice conform regulamentului UE 834/2007 Marca naţională ”Agricultura ecologica în Republica Moldova”.    * Necesitatea şi avantajele Lucrarile de întreţinere a cultuirilor în Agricultura Ecologica. Combaterea bolilor şi dăunatorilor în Agricultura Ecologicâ.    * Inspecţia şi certificare producţiei agroalimentare ecologica La seminar au participat 58 persoane dintre care producatori agricoli, fermieri, primari, Directia Agricola Cahul.        16-21 Noiembrie 2009 Participarea la Conferinţa Internaţională în Dresden, Germania. Tema:  „Producerea, prelucrarea şi certificarea în agricultura ecologică” În cadrul conferinţei au fost expuse mai multe prezentări cu privire la tehnologiile de producee în agricultura ecologică, sistemul de control şi certificare în agricultura ecologică. Au fost organizate vizite în ferme ecologice şi la piaţa Bio din Dresden.  24-25 octombrie 2009 Experţii ProRuralInvest împreună cu un grup de fermieri au participat la Conferinţa Naţională a Asociaţie Bioagricultorilor din România  „Bioterra”. Tema conferinţei „ Agricultura ecologică – o şansă în contextul crezei economice şi o importantă sursă de alimente sănătoase pentru populaţie”.  La acestă conferinţă au participat pe lîngă membrii asociaţiei şi  un reprezentant al Ministerului Agriculturii, Pădurilor şi Dezvoltării Rurale din România, Vicepreşedintele Comisiei pentru Agricultură a Parlamentului României, directorul general ANCA precum şi invitaţi din  Republica Moldova, Ungaria. În cadrul conferinţei au fost expuse mai multe prezentări de către lectori din Românie şi din străinătate, precum şi raportul privind activitatea Asociaţie Bioagricultorilor din România  „Bioterra” pentru anul 2009, precum şi planul de acţiuni pentru 2010. 5-10 Octombrie 2009 Conferinta Internationala din Batumi: „ Conservarea Biodiversitatii” si visitarea Parcului National din Adjaria. Conferinţa a întrunit experţi din mai multe tări unde au fost discutate probleme cu privire la conservarea biodiversităţii. A fost vizitat Parcul Naţional din Adjaria. Septembrie 2009 Conferinta Internationala din Sofia, Bulgaria “ Schimbarea Climei si conservarea Biodiversitatii”  La această conferinţă a au participat experţi din Bulgaria, Olanda, Republica Moldova, Rusia, Croaţia, România, Georgia.  În cadrul conferinţei s-a discutat despre schimbarea climei, conservarea biodiversităţii şi dezvoltarea agriculturii ecologice.