According to the Bank’s website, the Project Development Objective is to increase the area under sustainable land management practices in targeted sites in Moldova.

TerraMoldova is designed to establish a harmonized framework for biodiversity governance and sustainable land restoration in Moldova. The project will use a common and comparable approach for practices, tools, and methodologies to ensure scalability and replicability, supporting Moldova's transition toward EU alignment and long-term environmental sustainability. The project is structured around three interconnected components:

Component 1: Strengthening Knowledge, Capacity and Environmental Governance for EU Alignment will aim to update and harmonize Moldova's legal and policy frameworks with EU environmental directives, particularly those related to biodiversity and land management. It will modernize biodiversity monitoring and data systems, including the development of a national ecological knowledge platform to improve data sharing and decision-making. This component also supports institutional learning, capacity building, and the integration of gender considerations and knowledge management. Activities include updating the National Biodiversity Monitoring System, strengthening the National Biodiversity Information System, and supporting the development of a National Ecological Knowledge Platform. The component will also help Moldova meet its obligations under the EU Association Agreement and the EU Green Deal, and will promote cross-sectoral coordination and stakeholder engagement.

Component 2: Revitalizing Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management will focus on the restoration of degraded wetlands, riparian corridors, native forests, and agricultural lands. It promotes nature-based solutions and regenerative agricultural practices, especially in vineyards, to enhance biodiversity, restore ecosystem services, and build climate resilience. The component will support the implementation of restoration pilots in priority landscapes, promote sustainable land management practices, and foster collaboration with research institutions and the private sector. It will also actively involve women in restoration activities and leadership roles, and support the development of value chains for biodiversity-friendly products. The component aims to demonstrate scalable models for ecosystem restoration and sustainable land management that can be replicated across Moldova.

Component 3: Project Coordination and Monitoring will finance the operating costs of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) within the National Office for Environmental Projects Implementation (NOEPI), under the Ministry of Environment. This includes support for procurement, financial management, environmental and social risk management, M&E, and coordination. Communication activities will facilitate policy consultations, information dissemination, and outreach on NBS solutions.

No significant environmental risks are expected neither at the construction or operation stages of the project. The environmental risks are classified as "moderate". The envisaged environmental and social risks are related to limited civil works for wetland restoration and afforestation/ reforestation activities.

The social risks are classified as "moderate". Project interventions will take place only on public land (state or community) and no land acquisition and physical and economic resettlement are anticipated. Any involuntary restrictions to land use or natural resources (for example, site-specific temporary access restrictions at reforestation sites) will be appropriately avoided, minimized and mitigated through close engagement with key stakeholders. While the project will engage different types of workers (including civil servant, contracted workers and local community volunteers), labor and working conditions and OHS risks will be managed through appropriate mitigation and monitoring measures, including appropriate use of PPE. Social tensions and exclusion risks could potentially arise from selection processes of project sites and beneficiaries (including jobs opportunities and access to forests and pastures), if the selection criteria are not sufficiently consulted and disseminated with a wide range of stakeholders and beneficiaries, including vulnerable groups (such as women, elderly and persons with disabilities and in remote areas).

Total Project Cost: US$ 3.65 million
Global Environment Facility (GEF): US$ 3.65 million

CONTACT POINT - World Bank

Task Team Leader: Fisseha Tessema Abissa
Title: Senior Natural Resources Management Specialist
Email: fabissa@worldbank.org

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