5 August 2010: The World Bank approved a US$10 million project to manage climate and disaster risks in Moldova, through strengthening the State Hydrometeorological Service’s ability to forecast severe weather and improving Moldova’s capacity to prepare for, and respond to, natural disasters.

The project will focus on strengthening severe weather forecasting and disaster preparedness and emergency response capabilities, as well as initiate adaptation to climate risks in agriculture. The latter objective will include the development of a “Just-in-Time” communication platform to rapidly disseminate critical local weather information to farmers and rural communities; and the provision of adverse weather adaptation advisory services to improve agricultural sector resilience to adverse weather. [World Bank Press Release]