To ensure this process, Maxim Sontea, the owner of the ‘Șontea Maxim Mihail’ farm in Cuhnești commune, Glodeni district, has equipped his own cattle farm with a liquid manure tanker. This machine allows the farm owner to transport and spread the liquid waste from his farm on the fields and feed the farm animals with agricultural crops that have been fertilized with organic substances. The liquid manure tanker was purchased with the support of the Local Action Group (LAG) ‘Urmașii lui Leonardo’ as part of the Project “Innovative Technologies in Agriculture” funded by the LEADER-EU 2.0 Rural Development Fund.

Innovative technologies in agriculture for an environmentally friendly and quality production

“Manure can never be considered as excess because it ensures an environmentally friendly and quality production. This fertilizer is effective for 2-5 years, depending on the amount used”, Maxim Șontea reported. “In the case of chemical fertilizers, nitrogen evaporates, phosphorus goes into the soil, and potassium remains in small quantities only, which is why chemical fertilizers are only effective for 1 year. At the same time, animals refuse to eat the necessary quantities when agricultural crops contain chemical fertilizers.”  

The liquid manure tanker has a capacity of 5 tons, it is equipped with a spoon for spreading the manure over a diameter of about 15-20 meters, which also implies a much faster process. By using a vacuum pump, the manure is pumped directly from the sewer, avoiding waste and ensuring that the manure is spread evenly over the fields.

“With the help of liquid manure tanker, we ensure homogeneous and qualitative spreading of animal waste, which helps us to fertilize the soil with natural fertilizers and save money at the same time,” Maxim Șontea explained.

Local Action Groups support innovation in agriculture

As part of the Project “Innovative Techniques in Agriculture”, the ‘Șontea Maxim Mihail’ farm received financial support in value of 80,000lei (approximately $4,100 USD), while  co-financing  60,000 lei (approximately $3,100 USD) for the purchase of the liquid manure tanker, thus ensuring financial sustainability of the investment.

“We decided to support this project because the farmer was very aware of what he wanted and how this tanker would make his work more efficient. FThis liquid manure tanker contributes to environmentally friendly production, and we find it important to promote innovative projects,” said Olga Schin, Director of the Local Action Group ‘Urmașii lui Leonardo’. 

“In agriculture, we are always looking for funding opportunities to modernize our business. The liquid manure tanker is an expensive equipment and therefor, I felt really motivated to apply for funding within this project supported by the LAG,” explained Maxim Șontea.

Local Action Groups have a major impact on local development, helping to identify the communities’ local service needs and to create new jobs, while improving the quality of life in rural areas.

Fund  is implemented within “The Moldova Rural LEADER Project” financed by the United States Agency for International Development – USAID, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, cooperation program for development – Polish Aid. The Project is implemented by Solidarity Fund PL in Moldova, in partnership with the National LEADER Network (NLN) and in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI)”.