Project description

 

Common challenges of the HEGO Project countries in the Black Sea Basin in the sector of diversified sustainable plants with added commercial value:

HEGO project countries face a number of challenges in the sectors of growing, producing and promoting commercially valuable plants and plant products. Starting from the stage of growing, production, processing to accessing markets for high commercial value products, the following common challenges are mentioned:

  • Unsustainable use of herbaceous plants and lack of diversified products
  • Lack of knowledge, skills and competitive abilities for a diversified global market
  • Lack of marketing and branding strategies to create cross-border trade links in niche markets using ICT;
  • Lack of capital for investment in business development associated with the cultivation, production and promotion of sustainable diversified plant products with added commercial value.

Specific objectives of the HEGO Project:

  1. To inform and educate farmers on reducing the collection of herbaceous plants (wild plant species, endangered and endemic plants) and growing new plants with added commercial value;
  2. Training farmers on how to adapt to the new challenges in the agricultural sector of growing medicinal, aromatic and spice plants and improving the quality of plant products with added commercial value;
  3. Promoting diversification of main and related agricultural activities in the herbaceous plants sector (medicinal and aromatic plants, spices);
  4. Establishing and promoting links between the research and business environment, relevant actors in the fields: food industry, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, etc;
  5. Sustainable exploitation of wild plants by the population, using information and communication technologies (ICT) tools;
  6. Improving the skills and knowledge of entrepreneurs in accessing finance and investment in the sector of growing, producing and promoting herbaceous plants and plant products with added commercial value;
  7. Participation of target groups from the project countries in the Black Sea Herb Cluster in the Black Sea Basin for the joint promotion of companies in the aromatic herbs, spices and commercial value-added herbal products industry;
  8. Establishment of cross-border trade networks for the promotion of herbal products with added commercial value through the use of digital tools and marketing and branding strategies in the HEGO project (Greece, Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Armenia).

The HEGO project activities will contribute to the achievement of the proposed priorities, and will have a direct impact on the ''Creation of cross-border trade links, and upgrading of enterprises in the sector of breeding, production, promotion and marketing of herbaceous plants (medicinal, aromatic, spice) and herbal products with added commercial value in the project countries, and in the Black Sea Basin", by achieving the following results:

  • Increased training opportunities for entrepreneurs and farmers in the field;
  • Informing target groups on sustainable collection of wild flora plants and improving collection skills;
  • Reduction of wild flora herb collection and introduction of innovative agricultural activities for plant production;
  • Increasing the quality and safety of plants produced in Moldova, and meeting environmental standards in the cultivation and production of plants and plant products with added commercial value;
  • Increasing the quantity of medicinal, aromatic, spice and pharmaceutical plants produced in the Republic of Moldova;
  • Diversification of agricultural activities and production of new species of medicinal, aromatic and spice plants in demand on international markets;
  • Improving the visibility of the Republic of Moldova as a producer of medicinal plants and plant products with high commercial value at regional and international level;
  • Increasing market share and prices on cross-border/international markets for plants and plant products with added commercial value produced in Moldova;
  • Enhance Moldova's profile as an exporter of high commercial value plants and plant products;
  • Training of new skills and knowledge on marketing, branding and promotion strategies for Moldovan plants and plant products.

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HEGO Project - PLANTS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH

Project co-funded under the Joint Operational Programme in the Black Sea Basin 2014-2020

Implementation period: 01.07.2020 - 30.12.2022

The objective of the project is to modernize enterprises associated with the cultivation and promotion of plants and plant products with added commercial value and to contribute to the enhancement of cross-border trade opportunities for enterprises in the Black Sea Basin countries.

Project partners:

  1. ANETXA - Halkidiki Development Association, Greece.
  2. AUTH Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
  3. ODIMM, Moldova
  4. GFA Farmers Association of Georgia
  5. CARD Foundation Centre for Agribusiness and Rural Development, Armenia.

HEGO Project activities in the Republic of Moldova

  1. An Entrepreneurial Training Programme in the sector of growing, producing, promoting and marketing herbaceous plants (medicinal, aromatic, spice) and plant products with added commercial value;
  2. Participation in the Herb Business Forum of the HEGO Project in the Black Sea Basin;
  3. Access to the e-learning platform for distance training of entrepreneurs in the field;
  4. Access to the HEGO e-Business portal;
  5. HEGO Project International Conference in the Republic of Moldova;
  6. Opportunity for target groups to obtain membership in the HEGO Project Herb Cluster in the Black Sea Basin.