Additional Financing 2017 - 2022: Support for Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building (5.5 MIL. EURO)

Sub-component 2.1 - Development of national knowledge and training activities as well as support for on farm demonstrations, to improve compliance, adoption and control of code of good agricultural practices to reduce nutrient pollution . The INPCP has supported Romania in developing and approving a “Code of Good Agricultural Practices for Water Protection against Pollution with Nitrates from Agricultural Sources”. However, farmers as well as inspectors of the Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture (APIA) and National Environment Guard (NEG) need knowledge, training and demonstrations to adopt comply and properly control the proper implementation of the Code. There is a need to develop at least one permanent facility in each of the development regions where farmers, trainers, APIA and NEG inspectors and local and regional authorities can go to see, learn and discuss practical demonstrations of its applicability; where information is requested, training and necessary backstopping is provided, including capacity to conduct on-farm demonstrations of good practices on local specific fields. Under the INPCP AF, support will be provided for the development of eight knowledge and training providers (one in each development region) - or seven, if it will be considered more efficient, to promote adoption of good agricultural practices to reduce on farm nutrient pollution. In case that, after a detailed analysis, it will be considered that developing such facility for the Bucharest-Ilfov region is not necessary due to the low agricultural profile, this region can be included in one of the neighboring ones. These knowledge and training providers will be developed on the basis of already existing research units under Romanian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ASAS) and / or other agricultural universities, research institutes or centers, or other relevant existing institutions, based on their current capacity and relevance, as well as their long term commitments to promote sustainable and environmentally-friendly agriculture specific to the farming systems and needs of their region.

To support the proper development and implementation of activities under sub-component 2.1 of INPCP AF, under the INPCP – Original Loan an Agriculture Expert was hired to conduct the further detailed design of this sub-component and its particular activities avoiding overlapping with other available funding opportunities. The Expert will ensure the development of sub-component implementation plan and the development of detailed selection criteria and terms of reference for contracting the eight knowledge and training providers. A framework TORs with general provisions nationwide applicable will be produced, and followed by detailed selection criteria and TORs for the selection of knowledge and training providers in two regions, as a first stage. As such, the contracts with the selected knowledge and training providers in the first two regions could be signed by end 2017.

Sub-component 2.2. Providing Technical Assistance to: (i) update the Code of Good Agricultural Practices and revise action programs; and (ii) carry out activities to promote the adoption by the farmers of the improved nutrient management practices set forth in the Code of Good Agricultural Practices.

Sub-component 2.3. Providing support and improving the Capacity building system for ANAR and for the institutions represented in ICA. The project will also contribute to building capacity by providing equipment and software for supporting the work of public institutions to increase the monitoring and reporting capacity under Nitrate Directive. The procurement packages will include equipment for monitoring the quality of soil and water (nitrate/eutrophication monitoring) for PHD, NEPA and EG; drilling equipment and construction of piezometers for ANAR; the acquisition of laboratory equipment and the provision of technical assistance for the development of specialized software for ANAR, required for the evaluation of diffuse emissions of pollutants from agricultural sources and of the impact of the remedial measures, and the required support database for the reporting process under EU Directives 91/676/CE, 200/60/CE, 2006/118/CE.

Sub-component 2.4. Comprehensive Training program for the staff of the relevant national, regional and county level agencies on monitoring, control and reporting under the EU Nitrates Directive and EU Water Framework Directive. Under Additional Financing, the Project will support a comprehensive training program for the staff of the MWF, ANAR, MARD, Agriculture Payments and Intervention Agencies (APIA), National Environment Protection Agencies (NEPA), Environmental Guard (EG) and Public Health Directorates (PHD), and selected Research Stations and County Offices for Soils and Agro-Chemistry on monitoring, control and reporting under the EU Nitrates Directive and EU Water Framework Directive, as well as improving the capacity building system able to support the scaling up, at the national level, of the implementation process of the EU Nitrate Directive and Water Framework Directive. The training needs will be established based on meetings with representatives of the beneficiary institutions and with local and regional representatives. PMU will ensure the procurement of training activities on the basis of the analysis of the most suitable programs for training offered by organizations, availability of services, period of training, and reasonableness of cost. Training will be financed according to a program acceptable to the World Bank and will be organized on national, regional and local levels.

Initial Project 2008 - 2017: Support for institutional strengthening and capacity building (5.9 MIL. EURO)

Training of ANAR (National Water Management authority) technical staff

Training classes for: testing total organic carbon - TOC (15 experts), UV and visible spectroscopy with molecular absorption – UV-VIS (42 experts), geographical information systems – ArcGIS (39 experts), implementation of the Nitrates Directive at county level (51 experts), sampling procedures for technical specialists (41 experts), testing nutrients and metals in sediments and in water slurry (32 experts), specific testing for phytoplankton, phytobenthos, macrozoobenthos (41 experts), standards and methodologies (41 experts).

Training of county level working groups regarding the EU Nitrates Directive

365 professionals from the national, regional and local institutions were trained

Extension of ANAR Voina Training Centre

The construction works were completed in October 2012. The training center was furnished by the beneficiary, and presently it is functional.

Monitoring eutrophication and water pollution with nitrates

The maps showing the trends for nitrates variation in surface water and groundwater, and the associated maps regarding monitoring of the water quality are completed and yearly updated.

Laboratory equipment for ANAR

In situ instruments for monitoring the water temperature and groundwater level – 150 pcs., Portable automatic device for determination of chlorophyll in surface waters – 9 pcs., Spectrophotometer UV-VIS – 28 pcs., TOC analyzer with auto sampler – 5 pcs., Chemical extraction hoods – 7 pcs, Double distillation water stills – 10 pcs., Analytical balances – 21 pcs., Technical balances – 11 pcs.,
Drying ovens – 9 pcs., Ultra-pure water systems – 5 pcs., Equipment for monitoring wells purging and pumping – 54 pcs., Groundwater sampling equipment – 54 pcs, Vehicles – 11 pcs.

Extending the national groundwater monitoring network – with additional 63 piezometers

The number of monitoring sites for groundwater quality and analysis for the Nitrates Directive was increased up to a density of 7.5 sites/1000 Km2