Additional Financing - 2017 - 2022: Public Awareness and Information Support (3.5 MIL. EURO)

Sub-component 3.1. Carrying out of public awareness activities at the local, river basin, national and regional levels, including meetings, workshops, field trips, study tours and mass media events and products, to introduce the Project and its benefits, to promote improved rural sanitation and implementation of good agricultural practices. Under both parts of the Project (OL and AF), a broad public information campaign of the project’s activities and benefits is undertaken at the local, river basin, national and regional levels to achieve replication of project interventions in other similar areas within Romania as well as other Black Sea riparian countries and EU candidate countries. In particular, the component promotes improved rural sanitation in all the agro-climatic regions in the country, implementation of good agricultural practices, such as composting, conservation tillage, crop rotation, etc. Both parts of the project provide for the organization of national and regional workshops, field trips, and study tours where knowledge and skills on effective low-cost environmentally friendly technologies are shared; local, river basin, national and regional levels public awareness campaigns (e.g. project opening and closing conferences, dissemination of project implementation benefits, dissemination of possible sources of funding, a system of permanent information for farmers, etc.) The project also uses the media (TV, radio, agricultural and environmental journals) and activities with school children as a vehicle for disseminating the benefits of project activities. Among these activities, the project staff will disseminate their experiences by participating at GEF organized forums. See Annex 8 for indicative public awareness program under INPCP Original Loan.

As a result of previous surveys carried out under the INPCP Original Loan, the communication campaigns will be adapted for different target groups, including the vulnerable ones, gender and national minorities, and the survey reports will systematically analyze results by these groups for increasing the effectiveness of project activities. In addition to information provision under the public awareness campaign, the INPCP AF will provide some channels for direct citizen engagement (e.g., PMU contact information, Facebook, twitter). The opportunities for providing feedback, the analysis of such feedback and the report back to communities on its results, will be strengthened under the Additional Financing. The public awareness campaign and associated activities will reflect the needs and interests of different groups, such as Roma communities and gender groups. The surveys on knowledge, attitudes and behavior will be expanded to allow for qualitative data collection and the consolidated results of the surveys will be shared with participating communities in a user friendly format. Participating municipalities will be requested to provide summaries of public consultation, including the feedback received and the responses provided.

Sub-component 3.2. Training and backstopping for potential Beneficiaries. One objective of this component will be to promote the financial instruments that will be available within the INPCP AF to potential beneficiaries. This objective will be reached through face-to-face meetings, where the beneficiaries will find out about the Calls for Proposals sessions and will be taught how to prepare their proposals in order to be eligible. To this end, PMU will ensure training and support for potential Beneficiaries during the preparation and implementation phases through the Competitive Investment Financing Experts Group (help desk). For the beneficiaries whose proposals were selected for financing, there will be specific workshops on procurement and technical issues organized, so as to facilitate a successful implementation. The promotion of the new financial instrument will be also undertaken through local media channels (radio and TV spots; press articles, etc.) and through on-line instruments.

The component 3 coordinator of PMU, hired under INPCP AF, will develop and ensure implementation of the Public Awareness and Information Support Strategy of the AF part of Project.

Under the INPCP AF, this component was renamed to better reflect the actual substance of the activities.

Initial Project - 2008 - 2017: Public Awareness and replication strategy (2.58 MIL. EURO)

The Project is implementing a public awareness program to increase the level of awareness and understanding of agricultural practices for environmental protection, and to disseminate the good agricultural practices for water and soil protection. The program is implemented on three levels as follows:

Public awareness campaign at national level - 2009-2012

Main events carried out: 6 communication workshops for representatives of environmental and water protection authorities, 41 commune level events, 12 events in schools and other localities included in the project
More than 120,000 pcs. awareness materials were produced and distributed: different brochures, flyers, folders, posters, Droplet mascots;
Two TV spots and a radio spot, as well as a documentary film were also produced.

Public awareness campaign at river basin level: 2012-2013

11 workshops at river basin level;
information caravan in 87 localities;
87 seminars for training of trainers;
174 local seminars for farmers;
87 events on ecological education for children;
22 press conferences, 163 press releases;
1097 articles published in local and national media;
the radio spot with a total of 3048 broadcasts;
375 TV/radio appearances;
Creation and distribution of 11 editions of „Between water and life” show
Awareness materials: leaflets, posters, banners, manuals for training of trainers, manuals on ecological education for children
Interactive communication – a dedicated website for the awareness campaign, a blog, accounts in the social networks
Weekly and monthly press monitoring reports.

Campaign for dissemination the project’s benefits at national level - to replicate project interventions in other areas

An international conference – implementation of EU Nitrates Directive in Romania
7 workshops for authorities with responsibilities in implementing, monitoring and enforcing the EU Nitrates Directive in Romania, at regional level;
20 local seminars for farmers and training sessions for children in 20 localities included in the project;
Creation and distribution of promotional and informative materials;
Creation and broadcasting of radio spots (before each event organized)
Participation of PMU INPC representatives in radio and TV shows of local stations; participation of other authorities with responsibilities in implementing the EU Nitrates Directive – 8 engagements;
Articles and interviews about the EU Nitrates Directive disseminated in the local and national media – 20 articles;
Press events (press releases, press conferences) – for every event organized;
Development of the PC game „Droplet” - the game is for children aged 8-14, and has a main character called „Droplet”. The objective is to raise awareness and promote a behavioral change versus environment, focusing on water protection.
Interactive communication – through the Project’s blog and its accounts in the social networks – continuous posting.

Promotion of best practices and financial instruments for Nitrate Directive compliance among potential beneficiaries – public awareness campaign 2016-2017. Objectives:

to disseminate the best practices regarding the implementation of EU Nitrates Directive requirements and
to promote among potential beneficiaries the financial instruments available for actions to be implemented under Directive.
In April – May 2016: County debates in 10 localities (Cluj-Napoca, Drobeta Turnu-Severin, Seini, Craiova, Zalău, Giurgiu, Târgovişte, Alba Iulia, Galaţi, Brăila), 845 participants;
In June – July 2016: County debates in 12 localităţi (Slobozia, Călăraşi, Constanţa, Târgu-Mureş, Ozun, Bistriţa-Năsăud, Suceava, Vaslui, Focşani, Buzău, Oradea, Păuleşti), 1.228 participants.