137. Soil Erosion in the Republic of Moldova – The Importance of Institutional Arrangements

Due to the breakdown of the former Soviet Union, the centrally organized large-scale agricultural structures became obsolete as markets for agricultural products disappeared overnight. The Republic of Moldova was left with an energy- and cost-intensive agriculture to the regional needs of the country. In addition, natural processes such as drought, and soil loss due to extensive landslides, wind erosion, degradation of soil fertility and many other negative erosion-related impacts, threatened the agricultural productivity of the soils as well as agricultural economy and the wealth of the rural population. It is estimated that soil erosion in Moldova results in a financial loss of 45–55 million Euro annually. The lack of available information and data on natural processes, as well as the lack of legal strategic guidance to farmers can be seen as a major cause of the devastating situation of the country.