Moldova’s MMinistry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment (MARDE) and UNCTAD convened the Second National Stakeholder Workshop of Moldova’s National Green Export Review in Chisinau on 17 April 2018.

The objective of the workshop was to follow up on the First National Stakeholder Workshop convened in September 2017 by developing recommendations and a national action plan aimed at enhancing value added and export capacity for walnut, honey and cereal products. To support workshop discussions, the project’s national experts, Artur Nadcrinicinii (team leader) and Valeria Svart-Gröger, had prepared a report analyzing these three products/sectors, and proposing recommendations and an action plan  ̶  developed based on stakeholder consultations  ̶  for consideration at this meeting. The proposed action plan was discussed in sectoral working groups and refined by them.

The workshop served as a platform to discuss potential ways to increase production and exports of these products and enhance local value added, alongside required actions, policies, private sector actions, institutional support and financing.

Meeting back in a plenary session at the end of the workshop, working groups presented their decisions on action plans for their sectors.

All working groups agreed on the following priority actions for all three sectors:

• Harmonization of the National Legislation in accordance with EU Organic Agriculture legislation
• Development of the national organic agriculture inputs market (seeds and seedling materials, fertilizers, crops protecting products)
• Instituting a large-scale training program and extension services on organic production and certification
• Support in Market research and creation of effective trade partnerships for the added-value products

MARDE, MIEPO (Moldova Investment and Export Promotion Organization), MOLDAC (National Accreditation Center of the Republic of Moldova), and the private sector were all viewed as the key stakeholders to implement these actions. In addition to these cross-cutting actions, workshop participants also supported sector specific actions such as developing a strong national brand for Moldovan honey and walnuts; expanding the use of group certification for organic cereal producers; and enhancing subsidy support for beekeepers.