 in partnership with the USAID Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Project in Moldova.){kind=link}
The first remote learning platform for operators in the agricultural sector in Moldova was launched by the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA) in partnership with the USAID Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Project in Moldova.
The purpose of the https://elearning.ansa.gov.md platform is to facilitate the access of entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector to knowledge, giving them the possibility to follow specialized courses provided by national legislation and to obtain certificates confirming the new knowledge. The theme of the first distance learning course is “Sustainable use of plant protection products” and includes 13 thematic modules and 20 instructional videos. This course is intended for agricultural producers, importers, and distributors of phytosanitary products and aims to reduce their risks and harmful effects on human health and the environment.
The obligation to follow the training course on the sustainable use of phytosanitary products is provided by Government Decision 42/2020, which ensures the alignment of the national legal framework with EU requirements regarding the use of pesticides. At the same time, the knowledge obtained by farmers on the new digital platform will help producers adjust their pesticide use procedures according to international standards, which will help them ensure the minimum level of residues in agricultural products sold on the domestic market or exported.
The director of the USAID mission in Moldova, Scott Hocklander, mentioned that the digital platform represents an effective partnership between the private sector and a public institution, supported by USAID. According to the Director of the USAID mission, ensuring high standards and food safety for agricultural products is a mandatory criterion in the situation where Moldova tends to increase its exports, and for Moldovan products to be competitive in all markets.
FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS, SUBSCRIBE TO OUR TELEGRAM CHANNEL!
For his part, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Vladimir Bolea, emphasized that the purpose of the digital platform, as an accessible learning tool for operators in the agricultural sector, is to offer consumers quality and safe products. At the same time, according to the minister, the launch of the new distance learning platform falls within the objectives of the ministry and is part of the efforts to harmonize the processes in the agricultural sector with the standards of the European Union.
The general director of the National Food Safety Agency, Radu Musteața, said that the digital platform launched allows the agency to become a more efficient and accessible institution for operators in the agricultural sector.
“Because only an informed agricultural sector operator will place phytosanitary products on the market in a responsible way, and a trained farmer will comply with the requirements of the sustainable use of phytosanitary products to produce safe and harmless products”, explained the director of ANSA, who also added that his institution is going to place on the digital platform new thematic training courses, intended for operators in the agricultural sector.
ANSA estimates that in the coming months, at least 3,000 people will take this online course, thus ensuring they comply with legal requirements but also save time and financial resources for travel. Currently, more than 373 people have already registered on the platform, some of whom have already obtained the certificate valid for 36 months, which confirms the knowledge obtained.