Presentation on the activities of the Moldova Agricultural Pollution Control Project (Magdill)

REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
Agricultural Pollution Control Project
Chisinau, October 2006
Sergiu Magdil, Project Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist
Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry
Project Implementation Unit

Republic of Moldova in the Black Sea Basin
Our Neighbours: Romania and Ukraine

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES
1. Project Global Environmental Objective is to reduce the discharge of
nutrients into the Danube River and Black Sea through integrated land
and water management.
2. The overall project development objective is to increase significantly
the use of mitigation measures by agro-industry and farmers and thereby
reduce nutrient (N&P) discharge from agricultural sources in Moldova to
the Danube River and Black Sea.
3. Specific objectives:
a) promote the adoption of mitigating measures by farmers and agro-
industry for reducing the nutrient loads entering the water bodies – these
measures would include better management of household and livestock
wastes in the villages, crop nutrient management, planting of buffer strips
and conservation tillage, as well as dealing with wastewaters from agro-
processing units;
b) strengthen national policy, regulatory enforcement and institutional
capacity for agricultural nutrient pollution control and organic farming;
c) promote a broad public awareness campaign and replication strategy.

PROJECT COMPONENTS
The APCP contains four components:
1. Promotion of mitigation measures for reducing nutrient load in the water
body. This component has been implemented at two levels: (a) in close
association with the Rural Investment Services Project’s components for
business development, rural support services and rural finance; (b) in a pilot
watershed area comprising part of the Lapusna tributary of the Prut River,
where an integrated watershed management plan will be implemented
2. National Level Strengthening of Policy and Regulatory Capacity. The
project supports strengthening of the national legislative, regulatory and
institutional capacity of the government of Moldova in agricultural pollution
control. It includes assistance for harmonizing local and national legislation
with EU’s directives on environmental pollution control, particularly the Nitrates
Directive (91/676/EEC).
3. Public Awareness and Replication Strategy. A broad local and nationwide
public information campaign has been undertaken to disseminate the benefits
of designed project activities and achieve replicability of the same. At the local
level, the main audience are the direct stakeholders of the project (local and
county officials, farmers, community groups and NGOs). The objective of the
activity is to familiarize the population and help induce the behavioral changes
necessary to the success of the project.
4. Project Implementation Unit. A Project Implementation Unit has been
established under the umbrella of CAPMU. The GEF component provides
support for hiring relevant staff to implement APCP in close association with the
RISP.

PROJECT INTERVENTIONS BY COMPONENT
COMPONENT 1: Promotion of Mitigation Measures for Reducing Nutrient Load in
Water Body
(a) Activities under RISP; including:
 Grants to Support the Credit Line of RISP;
 Training of ACSA Service Providers.
(b) Promotion of Watershed Management Practices, including:
 Manure Management Practices;
 Promotion of Environment-Friendly Agricultural Practices;
 Shrub and Tree Planting;
 Wetland Restoration and Promotion of Sustainable Management Practices;
 Monitoring Soil, Water Quality and Environmental Impacts.
COMPONENT 2: Strengthening of National Policy and Regulatory Capacity
(a) Support to MENR for Work on Application of the Nitrates Directive;
(b) Support to MENR for Work on Application of the Nitrates Directive;
(c) Recommendations for joint activity of MENR and MAFI.
COMPONENT 3: Public Awareness and Replication Strategy
(a) Public Awareness Campaign to Support Project Actions and Promote the
Replicability of Project Activities at Local Level;
(b) Public Awareness Activities and Replication Strategy at National Level;
(c) Public Awareness Activities and Replication Strategy at National and Regional
Level

KEY SECTOR ISSUES
1. Fully integrating environmental concerns into agricultural practices to make them
more sustainable, including use of well-proven technologies to protect soils,
reduce surface run-off prevent break-down of soil organic matter levels and
increase retention capacity so as to reduce over the long term the discharge of
the nutrient load into the Moldovan ground and surface waters, and, ultimately,
the Danube River and the Black Sea.
2. Developing appropriate policies, policy reforms and initiating legislation, in order
to create the enabling environment for mainstreaming environmental concerns in
agriculture.
3. Enforcement of relevant legislation regarding agro-processing plants and village-
level waste management.
4. Capacity building with private farmers to use modern resource management
techniques and all-round more environment-friendly agricultural practices.
5. Building national capacity in assisting the Government in meeting its international
obligations under the Bucharest Convention, the Odessa Ministerial Declarations
of the Protection of the Black Sea and the Danube River Protection Convention.
6. Developing an understanding of the EU Directives and how the main principles
can be incorporated in Moldovan agriculture.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
1. Increased awareness of environmental issues in agriculture and agro-
industry.
2. Increased percentage of farmers and agro-processors/industries
implementing environment-friendly practices.
3. Improved soil and water quality in the pilot watershed area.
4. Adoption of Code of good agricultural Practices.
5. Implementation of policy framework for non-point source of pollution
commensurate with EU criteria.
6. Increased public and farmer awareness of potential to improve incomes
while protecting the environment.
7. Improved quality of rural drinking water.

OUTPUTS BY COMPONENT
COMPONENT 1: Promotion of Mitigation Measures for Reducing
Nutrient Load in Water Body
1.1. Activities under RISP
 achieving the goals of the GEF funds, which is to implement nutrient discharge
mitigation measures,
 cleaning the water bodies from agricultural/agro-industry pollutants that may
result because of the new businesses starting with the RISP sub-loan;
 indirect environmental education and awareness to the applicants and their
neighbors because of the entire application, approval, and implementation of the
nutrient discharge mitigation measures;
 practical implementation support to the APCP’s pilot watershed project in
Lapusna river basin,
 capacity building to the local experts through the experience gained in design and
implementation process,
 immediate financial incentive for the RISP applicants.

1.2. Promotion of Watershed Management Practices
(a) Manure Management Practices:
 8 commune/village stores constructed together with 1200 household stores and
equipment provided for manure handling and field application;
 local people aware and broadly involved in the project interventions;
 a monitoring data base available;
 organic manure substituted for inorganic fertilizers.
(b) Promotion of Environment-Friendly Agricultural Practices:
 a well documented pilot completed and evaluated for replication;
 300 farmers, including farmers from the other regions (outside the pilot watershed
area, trained in application of environment-friendly agricultural practices;
 the capacity of extension staff significantly improved;
 a monitoring system to determine the impact of practices on soil quality will be
installed and data will be collected.
(c) Shrub and Tree Planting:
 132 hectares of shelterbelts for water protection;112 hectares of improved anti-
erosion forest belts;50 hectares of improved pasture;
 484 hectares of the existing forests rehabilitated and properly managed;
 A public awareness and education campaign on environmental and ecological value
of the forest developed;
 forest (plant) monitoring incorporated into the general monitoring scheme.

(e) Wetland Restoration and Promotion of Sustainable Management
Practices:
 the existing ecosystems rehabilitated and ecologically well balanced;
 2 dams with a sluice gate system for the stabilization of water level; 3 concrete
bridges with proper culvert capacity for accessibility to different portions of the
wetland and; 10 small wood bridges with proper culvert capacity for access
through the zone constructed;
 the existing waste dump in the area will be removed to the commune
platforms;
 make the local inhabitants aware of the importance and fragility of wetland
ecosystems;
 develop an agreement between the communities on both sides of the River
Prut to exchange the information and to develop common activities for the
rehabilitation and conservation of the river basin

(f) Monitoring Soil, Water Quality and Environmental Impacts
 increased utility of water for downstream users and fisheries if any;
 drinking water supplies will improve and will have lesser health related effects for the
settlements of Hincesti Raion;
 increased quality and availability of groundwater for human and animal
consumption;
 groundwater is the main source of drinking for rural population and decreased levels
of nitrate and bacteria in water will reduce water borne diseases in Hincesti Raion
like nitrate poisoning;
 better productive lands with increased organic matter and carbon sequestration;
 increased biodiversity

USE OF FUNDS BY COMPONENT
Project Activities Planned
(USD)
Used
(USD)
Status
(%)
1. Promotion of Mitigation Measures for
reducing nutrient load in the water body
4,072,700.000 2,272,250.32 55.8
a) Promotion of Environmentally-Friendly
Agricultural Practices
161,000 98,136.48 61.0
b) Monitoring soil, water quality and
environmental impact
275,600.000 64,456.86 23.4
c) Sub-grants for activities under RISP 2,090,100.000 1,323,512.83 63.3
d) Training of rural advisory services 102,800.000 31,598.24 30.7
e) Manure management practices 1,256,100.000 665,520.86 52.9
e) Shrub and tree planting 134,500.000 62,413.39 46.4
f) Wetland restoration and promotion of
sustainable management practices
52,600.000 26,611.66 50.6
2. Strengthening national policy and
regulatory capacity
72,400.000 20,631.69 28.5
3. Public awareness and replication strategy 277,500.000 128,769.24 46.4
4. Project management and evaluation 419,900.000 254,907.06 60.7
Total; 4,842,500.000 2,676,558.31 55.3

ACTIVITIES UNDER RISP
Eligible Categories
 The purpose of the APCP Environmental Mitigation Grant Program is to
provide supplemental nutrient discharge mitigation matching grants in
collaboration with the Rural Investment and Services Project (RISP). These
grants are to encourage and serve as a financial incentive for the installation
of agricultural pollution mitigation structures and procedures to protect
Moldova’s environmental resources while encouraging agribusiness
development.
 Eligible categories:
1. Animal production (milk, meat, etc),
2. Crop production (orchards, vineyard, vegetables, flowers (horticultural), etc.),
3. Processing units/mils/or plants for agricultural products (juice production,
vegetable oil extraction, wine production, etc.),
4. Irrigation projects that will introduce water as a nutrient transport medium,
5. Green house projects that introduce nutrient leaching below the organic bed.

Accession to the Grant
Trained RISP Team
Applicant
Complets the Questionnaire
APCP Team
Check the QuestionnaireYES NO
Identifies Mitigation Procedures
using the Mitigation Guide
STOP !
Provides Mitigation
Grant
Flowchart 1: Grant application process

 The APCP Environmental Mitigation Grant application and approval process has
been conducted in two phases.
 Phase I:
1. An easy-to-use APCP Environmental Eligibility Questioner facilitates the initial
determination of APCP eligibility. After completion, the RISP team forwards the
Questioner to the APCP office who checks it against Environmental Mitigation Eligibility
Criteria (EMEC).
2. If the applicant does not meet EMEC and qualify for the APCP grant program, the RISP
team is notified immediately.
3. For the applicants meeting EMEC, the RISP team submits to the APCP office a letter
confirming they are the RISP Credit Line Recipients.
4. The APCP team checks on the site every eligible applicant against the information
provided into the Questioner.

 Phase II:
1. Projects meeting EMEC are reviewed further to identify proper nutrient discharge
mitigation measures.
2. The APCP civil engineer/agronomist/forester prepares the required documentation,
including Grant Agreement with bill of quantities and size of the grant, based on verified
Questioner.
3. Project documentation prepared by APCP the civil engineer/agronomist/forester is
submitted to the Technical Commission represented by APCP, RISP and CAPMU team
as well as Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and Ministry of Agriculture and
Food Industry.
4. The Technical Commission recommends to or not approve the certain application.
5. Both parts sign the Grant Agreement based on the recommendation of the Technical
Commission.
6. First installment is disbursed and project started.
7. The APCP team monitors project implementation.

Implementation Arrangements
Grant Recipient is responsible for:
1. Getting all the necessary permissions, including the permission for designing and
construction of the certain facility.
2. Getting the official agreement of a local commission represented by Mayoralty, county
department of ecology, preventive medicine and ecology on site location of the
construction.
3. Tendering of a certified agency/civil architect to design the facility in full compliance with
national legislation as well as World Bank rules and procedures.
4. Quality of the work as well as keeping the necessary documentation.
5. Receiving the work in accordance with legal requirements in construction.
6. Reporting to APCP office on project implementation.
Actually, the recipient is fully responsible for the whole construction process, including quality
of
the work and keeping the necessary documentation. Such responsibilities have been
transferred to the Recipient in order effectively to involve his/her in project implementation.

ACCTIVITIES UNDER RISP
Implementation Arrangements
APCP team is responsible for:
1. Receiving and checking the applications.
2. Preparation of project documentation.
3. Financial operations.
4. Monitoring and evaluation of sub-project implementation.
5. Keeping the office documentation and reporting to the WB.

Disbursement Procedure
 Disbursement procedure:
(a) An initial payment totaling 30% of the APCP is disbursed at loan approval.
This payment is disbursed for the initial cost of the mitigation measures
implementation including tendering, purchase of the required materials, and
initiation of the work.
(b) Following APCP inspection and approval of the tasks described in item (a), a
second payment is disbursed in an amount equal to 50% of the total APCP
grant. Upon receipt of the second payment, the applicant has to carry out at
least 80% of construction. Definite progress should be made towards
implementing the identified mitigation measure(s).
© Following APCP inspection and approval of the tasks described in item (b), a
third payment is dispersed in an amount equal to 20 % of the total APCP
grant. The APCP appointed specialist verifies that the two previous
payments have been used to accomplish the tasks related to the
implementation of the mitigation measure(s).

Visible Results
Picture 1: Sheep/cattle farm - platform capacity 100 c.m.

Visible Results
Picture 2: Sheep/pig farm - platform capacity 300 c.m.

Visible Results
Picture 3: Pig farm - platform capacity 700 c.m.

Visible Results
Picture 4: Poultry farm-platform capacity 1000 c.m.

Visible Results
Picture 5: Cattle farm - platform capacity 1750 c.m

Training Program
During the period of 2005-2006 the following actions have been carried out:
1. Testing/Demonstration of Environmentally-Friendly Agricultural Practices
Three test/demonstration fields have been installed in the southern, central and northern zones of the
Country to demonstrate:
a) manure management;
b) nutrient management;
c) crop rotation;
d) strip cropping;
e) practices to prevent soil erosion;
f) pasture management.
2. Seminars/Workshops
a) Three two-day training seminars for ACSA service providers were conducted with significant contribution
of the Institute of Soil. As result, 34 ACSA trainers have been learnt in environmentally-friendly agricultural
practices, environmental legislation and other related issues. As expected each trainer should train 10 other
ACSA service providers.
b) Three workshops were conducted at the test/demonstration fields with the total attendance of 64
participants, including leaders of farmer associations, individual farmers, ACSA local service providers, local
decision-makers.
3. Brochures/Leaflets
a) Guide book: “Manure & Nutrient Management and Soil Protection”, and
b) Training Module -“Environmentally-Friendly Agricultural Practices and Environmental Regulations”.

Use of Funds
Use of funds by eligible category
Nr. Category 2004-2005 2006 Total
Unit Capacity
(m3)
Grant
(MDL)
U-t Capacity
(m3)
Grant
(MDL)
U-t Capacity
(m3)
Grant
(MDL)
1. Livestock farm 24 12,946 7,179,205 18 9,780 7,462,060 42 22,726 14,641,265
2. Agro-industry 2 - 858,071 4 - 1,994,857 6 - 2,852,928
3. Crop production 9 - 299,038 - - - 9 - 299,038
4. Irrigation system 1 - 651,118 3 - 598,500 4 - 1,249,618
Total: 36 - 8,987,432 25 - 10,055,417 61 - 19,042,849

WATERSHED PILOT AREA
Location
s.Stolniceni
s.Corne[ti
s.Leu[eni
s.Coste[ti
s.Ivanovca
s.Cotul-Morii
s.Sobileni
s.Nemeni
s.Frasin
s.C==leni
s.Bujor
s.Drojdieni
s.Boghiceni
s.Chetro[eni
s.S=rata-Mare
s.SarataGalben=
s.Caracui
s.Pa[cani
s.Pereni
r.L=pu[na
r.L=pu[na
r.Lapusna
r.Lapusna
r.Prut
s.Tochile-R=ducani
s.S=rata-Reze[i
r.L=pu[na
r.Prut
r.Prut
s.Mingir
s.Biruina
s.Cioara
s.Pog=ne[ti
s.Bratianovca
s.Horje[ti
s.C=rpineni
s.Negrea
r.L=pu[nia
r.L=pu[nia
ROM~NIA
s.B=lceana
s.Pervomaiscoe
s.Sofia
s.Crasnoarmeiscoe
s.One[ti
s.Obileni
s.Mire[ti
NeusNegrea
OldNegrea
D Scale1:130000
LEGEND
River
Lake
Existentforests
Village

General Information
Commune Village Household Inhabitant Surface area
(ha)
Agricultural
land
(ha)
Pascani 5 1654 4993 4510 3283
Lapusna 3 2409 6880 8275 5378
Sofia 2 1088 3630 4070 2262
Negrea 1 728 2301 2596 1617
Carpineni 2 4682 12678 12733 10087
Minjir 2 2068 6048 7146 5071
Voinescu 1 1033 3461 2558 2283
Tochile-
Raducani
2 1075 3247 5471 3918
Total: 18 14737 43238 46603 33899

Project Interventions
Main project interventions developed in pilot area are the following:
 developing the appropriate manure storage facilities both at community and household
level;
 testing/demonstration of environmentally-friendly agricultural practices;
 shrub and tree planting;
 wetland restoration;
 capacity strengthening of local environmental agency for soil and water quality monitoring.

MANURE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Indicators of Objectives & Outputs
Objective Indicators:
1. High percentage of households using improved manure storage and handling system.
2. Increased awareness of environmental issues related to animal waste storage and
application among farmers and communities inside and outside project area.
Output Indicators:
1. Experience for continuation of such activities domestically and abroad.
2. Making the local community aware of the importance of dealing with animal waste in an
environment-friendly way.

Key Elements
The system is based on ten key elements:
1. Segregation of inert and recyclable materials such as metal cans, glass and plastics from livestock
wastes through the provision of a separate household waste container.
2. Provide improved manure stores for storage of waste at a single impermeable store at the household
with enough storage for up to 1 month's production.
3. Utilise the existing practice of the householder who transported his waste by cart to the village
platform. For those householders who do not have transport a chargeable collection service to the
village or commune platform could be offered.
4. Make use of the transfer of waste from the farm store “a permanent one”, using transport units then
unloading it at the commune platform, to aerate the waste, promoting continued bacterial activity in the
waste.
5. At the commune/village store level, the segregated inert materials will be deposited in designated
bunkers.
6. At the commune/village store level, management of the household waste at the main bunker involving
stacking in shaped windrow heaps 3 metres tall.
7. The transfer of the waste from the household storage to the main commune/village store will allow
aeration and mixing of the waste. Active management of composting of a proportion of the waste is
likely to be necessary. In particular this should include the tomato vines and the long maize stalks.
Because of this in each commune is foreseeing smashing equipment.
8. Store the waste deep so that the areas receiving rainfall is minimised.
9. Provide impermeable walls and floor to eliminate leaching.
10. Provide storage capacity for over the winter so that matured material will be available for use on the
land

Facilities at village-level
Key elements of facilities at the village platform are:
1. Concrete area for the management of the waste.
2. Bunkers for the segregated household wastes: metal cans to go for recycling; glass to
landfill and future recycling markets; and plastic and other materials to landfill.
3. Collecting channel for run-off from the platform.
4. Storage pits and tanks with impermeable base and walls - a concrete plate will cover on
the perimeter of the storage pool in order to prevent waste effluent leakage and
unpleasant smells.
5. Security fencing.
6. Office / Staff facilities and Landscaping.
7. Monitoring wells to check for leakages.

Facilities at village-level
Schematic structure of village
platform:
Length - 48 m
Width - 36 m
Height - 3 m
Capacity - 3400 tons
Storage period - 5 months

Facilities at village-level: visible results
Manure Storage Platform- Commune Negrea
Gravel layer

Manure Storage Platform – Commune Negrea
Installing the first concrete layer

Insulating membrane: share of experience with APCP/RISP grantee

Installing the iron framework: share of experience with APCP/RISP grantee

Installing the second concrete layer

Installing the metallic framework for pouring the concrete wall

Platform finished and manure handling equipment procured

Official Reception

Platform in work: manure handling

Household Stores
Handling system at household level has the following characteristics:
1. Locate the waste store close to the livestock housing.
2. Avoid double handling of the waste before the store.
3. Provide a concrete impermeable storage for the liquid livestock waste.
4. Stack the waste to reduce run off the liquid livestock waste.
5. Stack the waste to increase storage capacity.
6. Provide collecting to effluent run off and urine.
7. Direct all rainfall onto roofs away from waste.
8. Provide facilities for the optional composting of waste within the storage areas.
9. Provide sufficient storage period for over winter storage this should be a minimum of 1
month.

Household Stores
Schematic structure of household
platform:
Length - 2.2 m
Width - 2.0 m
Height - 1.2 m
Capacity - 4.8 c.m.
Storage period - 1 month

Household Stores - visible results
Wood Household Manure Storage Platform
Commune Lapusna

Household Stores - visible results
Concrete Household Manure Storage
Platform
Commune Negrea

PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY
AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
Testing/Demonstration Fields
There are 12 testing/demonstration fields established in watershed project pilot area,
including:
Commune Negrea
1. Soil conservation practices (minimum tillage) - 6 ha
2. Crop rotation (pea; wheat; corn; alfalfa) - 6 ha
3. Strip cropping (wheat; wheat-corn) - 19.6 ha
4. Prevention of soil erosion in vineyards (grassed each of 3 rows ) - 2.9 ha
5. Grassed buffer strips around vineyards - 5.4 ha
6. Grassed waterways (alfalfa) - 0.8 ha
7. Nutrient management - 0.5 ha
8. Manure management - M/S Platform
Commune Pascani
1. Strip cropping - 39.5 ha
2. Prevention of soil erosion in vineyards - 18.5 ha
3. Grassed buffer strips - 0.5 ha
4. Grassed waterways - 1.2 ha

Testing/Demonstration Fields – visible results
Commune Negrea –grassed waterway

Commune Negrea – crop rotation/strip cropping

Commune Pascani – strip cropping

Project Implementation Unit
Left to the right:
Alexandru Jolondcovschi, Project Manager
Silvia Pana-Carp, Project Assistant
Sergiu Magdil, Project Monitoring and Evaluation

Presentation on the activities of the Moldova Agricultural Pollution Control Project (Magdill)

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