Sweden and UNDP, within AdTrade project, launch a grants’ contest for agricultural producers and processors from both banks of Nistru river, who are willing to join their efforts to adopt innovative technologies while producing and processing agricultural products, to increase competitiveness and to access new markets.

Applications may be submitted by business support organizations that need to form partnerships with at least two agricultural producers or one producer and one processor from both banks of the Nistru river, who commit themselves to merge and to create new jobs, especially for women and socially vulnerable persons. The selected project proposals will receive non-reimbursable financing up to $50,000 each for procuring equipment and machinery. The winning partnerships will benefit as well from consultancy in business development.

The contest is open for project proposals covering production and processing of fruits, vegetables, and table grapes, production and processing of medicinal and essential oil plants, harnessing apiculture products, growing animals, processing milk-derived products, and other activities from horticulture, phyto-technical and livestock sectors.

The project proposals should tackle innovative business ideas, including new technologies, reducing production costs, adapting productions and/or processing to the new market needs in COVID-19 context.

The deadline for submitting the applications is 5 February 2021, 4:00 p.m. The application forms, contest participation conditions, as well as project proposals’ assessment criteria are available here. Over the next weeks, AdTrade project will conduct information sessions regarding the conditions of the contest.

The non-reimbursable financial assistance provided by Sweden in the framework the UNDP “Advanced cross-river capacities for trade” project (AdTrade) will contribute to improving business environment, creating jobs and establishing partnerships, hence allowing the enterprises from both banks of the Nistru river to overcome the negative impact of the pandemic crisis, while the companies from the left bank of Nistru river would have the possibility to access the trade mechanisms available on the right bank, to increase their knowledge and skills, to raise sales and to diversify their sale market.