An Entrepreneur from the Left Bank of the Nistru River Modernizes His Chicken Farm with the EU support
Iurie Flerciuc, a poultry farmer from the left bank of the Nistru River, had a dream: to double the number of chickens he raised. To make it happen, he needed additional financial resources, which were not available at the time. Iurie found the time and motivation to put together a business plan, which earned him support for expansion from the EU’s Confidence-Building Measures programme, implemented by UNDP.
Iurie chose to pursue poultry farming, building on the experience he had gained alongside his father:
“I followed in my family’s footsteps. It’s much easier when you already know how things work. So all we had to do was organize ourselves and get to work — that’s why I chose poultry farming,” he said.
It all started with building the first poultry house. Then came the natural desire to expand the business.
The €20,000 grant from the European Union was invested in the construction of a second poultry house. Cutting-edge digital equipment was purchased to automate vital processes — from feeding and watering to ventilation and heating.
“This system is new and very efficient. Everything is well thought out: automatic feeding, ventilation, heating — it all runs automatically, which is very convenient. It requires minimal manual labour — the technology does almost everything,” Iurie says enthusiastically.
The new poultry house holds about 15,000 chickens, which Iurie sources from the right bank of the Nistru. Some of the birds grow very quickly, reaching the optimal weight for processing in around 45 days.
Even with a high degree of automation, Iurie’s business has created two new jobs.
“We are a small farm, and we proudly say that we already have loyal customers. Our products are in demand, so everything is going well. Of course, the weather also plays a role — you really have to get it right, creating the right climate so the birds feel comfortable,” he adds.
Iurie’s story is not unique. In 2024, another 19 entrepreneurs from both banks of the Nistru River received support to launch or grow their businesses. The total value of the financial assistance granted exceeds €529,000.
By supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, the EU’s Confidence-Building Measures programme, implemented by UNDP, contributes not only to economic growth but also to the modernization of the agricultural sector and the creation of opportunities on both sides of the Nistru River.
Since 2014, the EU’s Confidence-Building Measures programme, implemented by UNDP, has supported the development and competitiveness of over 70 SMEs from both banks of the Nistru.
