Climate Adaptation Project

The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to enhance the adoption of climate-smart practices in agriculture, forestry and pasture management in targeted landscapes and strengthen national disaster management systems. The $2million medium-size project (MSP) from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Land Degradation focal area will contribute to increase the climate resilience of Moldova's forest and pasture lands through restoration of degraded lands at community and village level. GEF financing will support specificaly afforestation and rehabilitation of forest belts and degraded pastures (LD-1 Program 1) and preparation of integrated and participatory forest/pasture management plans for selected LPAs (LD-3 Program 4). The project will support integrated participatory forest and pasture management planning at the Local Public Authority (LPA) level, as well as investments in afforestation and rehabilitation of community lands and pastures in priority raions (districts) in the central and south regions that are considered to be more vunerable to climate change. The grant will contribute to finance LPA-level landscape mapping (i.e. land use “master plans”) and 10-year operational management plans for approximately 29,000 ha of forest land and pastures that aim at more efficient and sustainable use of these resources. Eligibility criteria for participating LPAs include, among others: willingness to participate, capacity and opportunity for collaboration with neighboring LPAs, and availability of suitable land. Investments in selected LPAs will include restoring approximately 1,000 ha of degraded pastures and 1,500 ha of other degraded communal land, as well as establishing and restoring 1,600 ha of agricultural or riparian shelterbelts. The planning process will be undertaken jointly by ICAS and the LPAs. Technical field work will be contracted to the State Forest Enterprises (SFEs) and/or private sector on a competitive basis. Improved forest and pasture management practices will provide multiple benefits: improved livelihoods for rural population, carbon sequestration and prevention of further degradation. Without additional grant financing the area covered by afforestation and rehabilitation of forest belts and degraded pastures and the related demonstration effect and uptake of improved land management practices would be significantly reduced. Additionally, increased use of native oak species will replace the use of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), which is an introduced species currently widely used in Moldova. Without additional GEF support it is likely that dominance of fast growing exotic species would continue.