The LEADER Program III competition, which ran from January 15 to February 24, 2026, received 54 applications. Based on the results of the evaluation, 53 GAL groups were selected. Beginning May 4, 2026, the Agency for Agriculture Interventions and Payments will begin the process of funding local action groups according to the approved amounts. Subsequently, the GAL groups will launch local calls for proposals in the villages.
MAIA notes that the experience of the second call for proposals (2024-2025) demonstrates the significant impact of the LEADER program, under which 51 local action groups received funding totaling LE 198.67 million, resulting in the implementation of 1,349 projects: 645 in the public sector, 593 in the business sector and 111 in the civil sector.
The LEADER program accounts for about 7% of the budget of the National Fund for Agricultural and Rural Development of RM. These resources are intended for the implementation of local development strategies and the functioning of the MFA for two calendar years. The approximate annual budget of the LEADER program is approximately 162 million lei. Of this amount, 100 million in 2026 and 150 million lei in 2027 will be covered by the Reform Program linked to Moldova’s Growth Plan 2025-2027.
The LEADER program supports the development of rural communities through projects proposed by initiative groups and implemented at the local level. Funding will be directed to the public and civil sector, as well as to business projects in the fields of agriculture and tourism, environmental protection, renewable energy, infrastructure and public utilities.
At the national level, the LAG network covers more than 61% of the territory of the Republic of Moldova and includes 513 administrative-territorial units with a population of about 1.14 million people.
