BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 28. The Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests (MMAP) of Romania, through the Project Management Unit “Prevention and Reduction of Pollution in Rural Areas” (UMP-RAPID), announces a major new development, Trend reports.
The development includes selection of 18 mixed farms to become national “model farms” under the grant scheme “Support for environmental investment in model farms with a demonstrative role.” This initiative is part of the RAPID program – “Prevention and Reduction of Pollution in Rural Areas in Romania.”
“Farmers are our direct partners in the fight to protect soil and water. Through these pilot investments, we turn Romanian farms into examples of best practices, showing that productivity and environmental protection go hand in hand. Expanding the model farm network means that more rural communities will benefit from modern, sustainable solutions tailored to their needs,” said Diana Buzoianu, Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests.
Following the evaluation process, the selected farms are located in the counties of Alba, Bistrița-Năsăud, Brașov, Covasna, Harghita, Satu Mare, Teleorman, Timiș, Tulcea, and Vrancea. The total funding amounts to over 3 million euros, provided from a 60 million euros loan between MMAP and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), under Law no. 332/2023.
To reduce nitrate and ammonia pollution, the farms will invest in:
- Equipment for manure removal (scraper plows, cleaning robots)
- Liquid manure spreader tanks with sliding tubes and manure trailers that reduce ammonia volatilization
- Smart precision systems using cameras to apply liquid nitrogen exactly where needed
- Sprayers for foliar fertilizers to maximize nutrient absorption
The farms will gain “model farm” status and be included in Knowledge Transfer Networks, playing a key role in promoting innovative solutions. They will host demonstration events, training sessions, presentations, and discussion groups to share experience and support local farmers.
These 18 farms complement the existing network of 15 farms in the counties of Arad, Buzău, Bistrița-Năsăud, Covasna, Galați, Harghita, Iași, and Satu Mare, which signed their funding contracts in September 2025.
Through this expansion, MMAP ensures balanced national coverage and strengthens the network of demonstrative farms capable of providing concrete solutions for a cleaner, more sustainable rural environment.
The RAPID Project – Prevention and Reduction of Pollution in Rural Areas in Romania – is financed through a 60 million euros loan, ratified under Law no. 332/2023. The project runs from 2024 to 2028 and has two main components: (i) strengthening the institutional capacity of public entities responsible for monitoring and controlling agricultural pollution, and (ii) supporting farmers through demonstrative schemes and the transfer of best practices.
Project activities include purchasing water and soil quality monitoring equipment, developing IT applications for modeling agricultural emissions, training public institution staff, and organizing knowledge transfer networks at both local and national levels.