National Agency for Rural Development

Chisinau, Moldova

The National Agency for Rural Development (ACSA) is a non-governmental, non-profit and non-political organization that carries out its activities throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Moldova. The mission of the Agency is the reaching of a sustainable development of rural communities through setting up and creating a professional network of information, consultancy and training service providers for agricultural producers and rural entrepreneurs.

ACSA ensures the access of rural population to knowledge, experience and abilities related to a wide range of fields oriented to economic development of villages from the Republic of Moldova. The organization launched its activities in March 2001 as the Agency for Consultancy and Training in Agriculture. At the request of beneficiaries, ACSA has diversified the advisory services and increased the number of clients by expanding geographically the advisory network. This has determined in March 2005 changing the registration name of the association into the Public Association "National Agency for Rural Development" but keeping the same logo. The Agency operates on the basis of the Law of the Republic of Moldova on non-governmental organizations Nr. 837 of 17 May 1996 (the Official Monitor of RM Nr. 6/54 of 23.01.1997).

Moreover, ACSA is the executive unit which implements 3 components of the Rural Investments and Services Project, RISP I (2001-2006) and RISP II (2006-2012), financed by the Government of Moldova and World Bank:

• Rural Extension Services;

• Land Re-parcelling in 40 villages;

• Drought Adaptation Advisory Services.