The European Union (EU), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is launching a three-year, EUR 3 million initiative to strengthen digital governance in agriculture and improve employment opportunities for vulnerable populations in rural Moldova. The project aims to deliver a Digital National Farmers Register, modernize employment services, and provide inclusive tools to facilitate access to decent work and agricultural support.
The initiative has two main objectives: enhancing access to employment services through the digital transformation of the National Employment Agency, and expanding the Digital National Farmers Register nationwide. This expansion is a crucial step toward establishing an Integrated Administration and Control System aligned with the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. The project will make public services more efficient, transparent, and accessible while ensuring fair access to agricultural subsidies, improving food safety and traceability, and supporting rural development.
The National Employment Agency will develop a modern Management Information System to replace outdated platforms and improve service delivery. The new system will enable online registration, automatic matching of jobseekers with vacancies, and integrated case management for vulnerable groups, including women, youth, people with disabilities, and returning migrants. It will also strengthen the agency’s analytical and forecasting capacities, enabling data-driven policies and better collaboration with employers.
The project will support the national rollout of the Digital National Farmers Register, enhancing transparency and efficiency in agricultural governance. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture will see strengthened institutional and digital capacities to manage subsidies and services more effectively. Smallholders, women, and rural youth will receive support to register and benefit from the system, while partnerships with farmers’ associations and regional outreach campaigns will promote digital literacy and equitable participation. These efforts aim to align Moldova’s agriculture with European standards and foster a more inclusive, sustainable, and competitive rural economy.
The initiative builds on prior development partner efforts in Moldova, including support from UNDP, UNICEF, Germany, Italy, and Japan, which helped establish the Digital Centre for Social Innovation, develop the eSocial platform, and pilot the Digital National Farmers Register with AI-based land monitoring tools. These foundations ensure the national rollout will enhance institutional capacity and promote sustainable, inclusive, and EU-aligned governance in both social protection and agriculture.
