The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Moldova and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) announced the completion of the U.S. Government’s Compact with a budget of US$262 million that was provided to Moldova free of charge, IPN reports.

Launched in September 2010, the program aimed to renovate the roads and to support the transition to high-value agriculture. MCC Resident Country Director Leslie McCuaig said the Compact represented an investment in Moldova’s future that is not possible without modern road infrastructure and high-value agriculture.

All the program activities were carried out by September 1, 2015. Among these was the renovation of the Sarateni-Soroca road of 96 km, which was outfitted with modern infrastructure that contributed to reducing the travelling time of people and to increasing the comfort and security degree of passengers and pedestrians. There were also reconstructed about 20 km of local roads in 14 settlements situated along the road, built 22 km of sidewalks and two bridges and renovated another 13 bridges, and lit 20 km or road.

To develop high-value agriculture, there were reconstructed ten irrigation systems. These were the first such systems renovated during the last 30 years. They allow irrigating about 12,000 hectares. Owing to private investments, the irrigated area could be extended to 15,000 hectares. There were also set up ten water users associations with over 6,000 farmers who took over the renovated systems.

To assist the farmers in implementing new cultivation, processing and packing technologies in agriculture and in accessing new markets, the Compact provided about US$12 million worth of loans and sold, in leasing, irrigation equipment and other agricultural machinery, organizing also thematic seminars for farmers from all over the country.

“The implementation of the Compact was completed, but the Millennium Challenge Corporation does not leave Moldova. The MCC and the Government of Moldova agreed to continue providing assistance for rehabilitating the irrigation systems, reforming the irrigation sector and strengthening the capacities to efficiently manage the modernized systems,” said the Millennium Challenge Account Moldova executive director Valentina Badrajan. For the purpose, the MCA Moldova will be reorganized into an entity that will provide support to farmers from the refinancing fund that was formed following the repayment of the Compact loans by agricultural entrepreneurs.

As to the possibility of launching the second Compact, Valentina Badrajan said Moldova must meet 20 criteria in this respect. One of these refers to corruption fighting.