Moldava Fish Farm Project

Type of Project: Loan
Request: Loan to create a fish farm
Location(s): Antoneşti, Moldova
Recipient: Iurie Oprea and Andrei Malancea

The village of Antoneşti has in its jurisdiction ten lakes which are rented from the local mayor’s office as a means to generate income for local fishermen.  However, none of the lakes were being used efficiently to produce fish nor were they being properly maintained to improve production.  Iurie Oprea and Andrei Malancea, lake renters and fishermen, conducted research and attended seminars on fish stocking and fishery development to expand their knowledge and skills.  With that knowledge they developed a plan for their fellow lake renters and their village.

Antoneşti, an active community with a prominent evangelical population saw the need to take charge of its own socioeconomic development.  Under the leadership of Iurie and Andrei, the residents requested a loan from Trade Palms to invest in their lakes to generate fish and revenue.  This type of community-inspired project would ensure a high-quality product at a good price for the people in Antoneşti and its surrounding villages. 

The plans were to implement an intensive method of fish farming in two of the ten lakes which would increase the productivity of the lakes and benefit the community as a whole.  Under this plan, the lake renters could begin harvesting fish in six to seven months. 

Beneficiaries of this project were many.  Individual fishermen benefitted by increasing their income and giving back to charitable purposes. The most significant impact, however, was made on the local College of Theology.  With income generated by the project, the College was able to provide support for itself and create additional income-generating projects such as expanding crop farming acreage and creating a chicken farm.