Project Summary:

Moldova’s rural women are four times more prone to absolute poverty and more vulnerable to climate change, requiring targeted actions towards enhancing their access to alternative income generation activities and support services (i.e. subsidies), as well as information and knowledge on sustainable and resilient management of natural and agricultural resources on which they depend.

The overarching strategy of the project is to build sustainable and inclusive resilient communities through empowering women to practice alternative livelihoods in the context of increased environmental degradation and vulnerabilities to extreme weather patterns. UNDP will work with women groups in 30 target communities from Nisporeni, Calarasi, Basarabeasca, Leova districts, Gagauzia region and left bank of Nistru, and the security zone to increase their knowledge and skills for sustainable and resilient agriculture and forest practices and to explore alternative income generation activities in the respective sectors.  

Objective:

The project’s objective is to build inclusive sustainable and resilient communities and create an enabling environment for women’s economic, social and educational empowerment.

Expected results:

• Sustainable, climate resilient and environmentally-sound livelihoods defined and local capacities & knowledge on environment, climate change and gender enhanced and implemented successfully;   
• NGOs capacities to provide expertise to LPAs and women in the field of resilience to climate change, sustainable development and gender mainstreaming enhanced;
• Environment-friendly and climate resilient practices and projects implemented by women headed households, women agri-producers and communities;
• Sustainable and climate resilient practices and business models disseminated and replicated.

Accomplishments:

• 6 gender mainstreamed Actions Plans on including Climate Change Adaptation and Environmental Protection Measures in the local development plans of Nisporeni, Leova, Călărași, Basarabeasca districts, Găgăuzia region and Dubăsari district were developed;
• 12 localities received support for elaboration of gender-inclusive local climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction plans;
• 306 local government officials (including 172 women) improved knowledge and skills to effectively implement climate & gender legislation locally;
• 6 practical guidelines for women-headed households and women and men agri-entrepreneurs have been produced, presented in an accessible manner, with practical examples, the principles and steps in starting up and expanding climate-resilient income-generating operations locally;
• 4 user-friendly Guidelines for LPAs on the implementation of climate and environmental legislation locally, as well as on the gender - climate and environment nexus developed;
• 854 households women and women and men agri/eco-entrepreneurs (811 women and 43 men) have improved their skills and abilities in managing ecological businesses within 35 training courses organized in all target districts;
• 6 environmental NGOs received tailored technical assistance as part of an institutional capacity development programme;
• 77 environmental NGOs (313 beneficiaries, inclusive 281 women) strengthened their technical and advocacy capacities to promote gender-responsive climate resilience and environmental agenda forward at national and sub-national levels;
• 30 communities, 121 women-led businesses at household level and 11 women-led agriculture enterprises assisted to put in place climate change adaptation measures;
• 11 environmental NGOs engaged for providing on-the-ground support in the form of mentoring and coaching to the grant beneficiaries; 
• Sustainable land management with the total surface of 216 ha enabled;
• 10.41 million MDL of additional income generated as result of the seed funding provide to the households’ producers;
• Over 30,000 people are benefiting from rehabilitated territories through afforestation of 17 ha in 8 localities, of which 14.4 ha represented degraded land where were planted 59,263 trees;
• 100,000 people are benefiting from rivers cleanup activities in four (4) communities on a total length of approximately 8000 meters;
• 19,500 people are benefiting from alternative energy systems, including in public institutions and local services providers;
• 117,600 kw produced yearly from renewable sources, contributing to saving a total of 563,352 MDL from the local budgets of 4 communities;
• More than 100 households and public institutions equipped with composting bins to initiate composting activities;
• 18 localities have modernized their local waste management service by expanding their local service;
• Technical assistance on Energy Communities deployment in Moldova provided to the Ministry of Energy.