The initiatives are categorized into three sectors: public, business and civil. AIPA authorized 6.98 million lei in subsidies in the public sector for projects in such fields as culture and heritage, education, pre-school education, infrastructure (including roads and sidewalks), landscaping, local public administration, environmental protection and waste management, sports, tourism, energy efficiency, as well as health and social assistance.
In the business sector, 89 projects with a total value of 5.20 million lei were supported in agriculture, trade, services, tourism, industry, construction and other economic initiatives in rural areas.
The remaining funds (890 thousand lei) were allocated to civil sector organizations (NGOs) to finance 20 projects of cultural, educational, tourist, etc. nature.
It should be recalled that since 2022, 5% of the National Fund for Agriculture and Rural Environment Development has been allocated to finance projects of the National LEADER Program. This is an EU instrument for rural development through the support of local initiatives aimed at creating new jobs, improving infrastructure, development of agriculture and processing, tourism and other sectors important for a particular region.
The participants of the program are local initiative groups (LIGs), which include representatives of the public sector, entrepreneurs and NGOs that jointly manage development processes in villages. They are established on the territory consisting of several neighboring settlements that share common resources and potential.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 54 local initiative groups have been created in Moldova, which include 513 villages. They cover 61% of the republic’s territory.
