The vision for agriculture and rural development in Romania

BUCHAREST, June 2, 2015The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

(MADR) and the World Bank will hold a high-level conference to present the strategic vision
for the future of Romanias agriculture and rural sector. The event will take place on June 3 in
Bucharest at the Radisson Blu Hotel.
Romania is among the best endowed European countries in terms of land, water, and people.
During the conference, stakeholders will discuss the challenges faced by the Romanian
agriculture and rural development sector to fully make the most of its potential in the context
of trends in Europe and globally.
Romania aspires to develop and implement a modern rural policy and administration that
serves every person, every day, in every region of the country, says Elisabetta Capannelli,
World Bank Country Manager for Romania. Progress in agriculture could contribute to
Romanias overall economic growth, generation of public savings and a more sustainable
trade balance to benefit all Romanians.
The Minister of Agriculture and Ministry experts will present their medium- to long-term
reform and investment priorities, while two former EU Commissioners for Agriculture and
Rural Development Dacian Ciolo, Commissioner from 2010 to 2014, and Franz Fischler,
Commissioner from 1995 to 2004 will be the main speakers at the Conference.
The conference will discuss the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of
Romanian agriculture and rural space, as well as knowledge and information systems to bring
Romanias agriculture sector to the cutting edge.
Joining the European Union has vastly benefitted Romanias agriculture and rural sector.
Recent years saw a surge in Romanias farm output, and a historic shift of our agri-food trade
to a positive balance. Increased funding opportunities helped boost sector results. Private
investments in the agri-food sector increased strongly, and multiplied the effects of the ample
public funding, both national and European. The agriculture and rural administration managed
over EUR 14 billion during the 2007-2013 period, and is managing another EUR 21.5 billion
over 2014-2020, says Daniel Constantin, Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development.
The World Bank, through direct assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development, has provided the blueprint for the reforms needed so that Romania can fully tap
the benefits financial, economic, and commercial of EU membership. Adopting the sector
vision and strategy is a major step forward towards a coherent, far-reaching, and stable public
policy framework.
Implementation of the vision will require consistent and sustained effort in the medium- to
long-term, starting with comprehensive institutional reform for the agricultural administration
to modernize and digitize its systems and procedures, strengthen its human capacity to better

meet current and future business needs, and effectively manage the risks faced by farmers.
These topics will be discussed by World Bank experts as a result of the Advisory Assistance
provided to the MADR between 201214 for Strengthening Strategic and Operational
Management.