“SARD LEADER” in , Taraclia and neighbouring villages in 2016-2018 The Support to Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) Programme is a three-year initiative of the European Union implemented by UNDP in the Republic of Moldova

The SARD LEADER Initiative gathers the Gagauzian and Taraclian implementation experiences and provide support for the SARD institutionalization of the LEADER objectives approach in Moldova. SARD is the first programme to set up comprehensive knowledge tool and cases for implementation of the LEADER/CLLD method and programming in Moldova. Local implementation of the SARD LEADER

• Local implementation of the SARD LEADER measure started in 2016 with an awareness-raising campaign aimed at mobilizing local partners in Gagauzia and Taraclia and rural communities of neighboring districts.

• The result was the creation of eight local development partnerships, covering the greater part of the rural areas of targeted regions. • Following the bottom-up, territorial principles, the eight partnerships of local public, business and civil society representatives have formalized their Local Action Groups, which are the first flagships in Moldova. • To accord with the principle of integrated development, they have designed and approved their strategic action plan, including economic, social, cultural and environmental actions. • LAG Councils (assembly of the members) elected their Board, Selection Committee and Audit Committee on the base of the approved Mode of Operation of the LAG • LAGs have announced the first local call in relevant to their first year action plan, received 162 proposals, made the selection and started the implementation of 78 projects. • Coaching, mentoring, technical assistance and guidance for each milestone have been provided by SARD to the eight LAGs. • SARD also creates the necessary conditions for networking between the LAGs For each LAG, the total of grant amount is

$30 000, and it supports one-year activities as SARD’s first follow: year project support for - $5 000 for administrative costs LAGs (2018) - $25 000 to fund small projects in the LAG territory.

Each local project owner provides at least 20% self-contribution to the project budget. Self- contribution is provided in cash and/or in kind. LAG GAGAUZ KORAFLARI Besalma Localities Gaidar Tomai Total 31 452 inhabitants 35 Members • Civil society - 15 • Public sector - 12 • Bussines - 8 Members

public sector bussines sector civil society LAG MAIN GOALS • REINFORCEMENT OF LOCAL CULTURE • REINVENTATION OF TRADITIONAL ACTIVITIES • RURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT LAG IS FAMOUS FOR • REGIONAL PRODUCTS • FESTIVALS • DANCE COLLECTIVES Our activities

We prepared and approved our strategy in 2017….. Our activities

We signed the Partnership Agreement on 15 November 2017. Our activities We established our LAG office in Tomai locality… Our activities We elected our decision-making and accountable body – the NGO “Association for the Economic Development of the Regions” Our activities

We organised the Call for Projects and selected the projects to be funded. Selected projects • Sport Complex (Baurci) • Susak Craft school (Besalma) • Creation of costumes for Dance Collective “SEDEF” (Besalma) • Social Craft School for children with disabilities (Chirsova) • Сreative workroom for the production of national clothes (Ferapontievca) • Carpet creation project (Gaidar) • LAG Sport Ground (Tomai) Thank you for your attention!

Victoria Ivancioglo, program SARD UNDP Moldova [email protected] Zaharii Dolomanji, manager LAG Gagauz Koraflari [email protected]