Agricultural chambers will set up in Moldova as autonomous, apolitical and nonprofit professional organizations. They will have the status of a legal entity of public law, created with the aim of representing and protecting farmers’ interests in the dialogue with public authorities in making decisions on agricultural and rural development policy and of enhancing cross-sectoral cooperation, says a draft law that was approved by the Cabinet, IPN reports.

“It goes to a model of revolutionizing agriculture in the Republic of Moldova on the association dimension. I’m not afraid to say ‘revolutionary’ because creating agricultural chambers means stopping the destruction, annihilation and degradation of agriculture in Moldova. We have seen how agriculture looks like in states where there are such associations - agricultural chambers,” Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, told a press conference.

The official noted that only farmers will be members of agricultural chambers, and the leader will be elected only by farmers.

The authorities say that such a decision was taken in a move to support the development of the agricultural community and promote the integration of new technologies, innovations and good practices.

The chambers of agriculture will provide farmers with access to the necessary resources and information, including training and funding programmes, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experiences between members. A farmer can be the member of only one regional chamber of agriculture.

The draft law is to be examined and adopted by Parliament.