1. 1
APRA ROMANIA PROJECT
Financed by USAID
AGRICULTURAL POLLUTION
REDUCTION ACTIVITY
Glen D. Anderson
Project Manager
Project implemented by:
Assistance project for MAFWE
International Resources Group

2. 2
Objectives of APRA
 Provide technical assistance in support of
Romania’s implementation of the EU Nitrates
Directive
 Assist Calarasi County in developing actions
to reduce nitrates pollution mainly from
agricultural sources in designated nitrate
vulnerable zones (NVZ)

3. 3
Project Implementation
Approach
 At the county level, demonstrate
methodology for assessing nitrate
pollution problems and preparing a
nitrates local action programme
 Extend lessons learned at the county
level to other NVZ through
development of guidance and training

4. 4
Summary of Implementation Costs
for the EU Nitrates Directive
 For Scenario where numerous discrete
NVZ are designated in Romania and
modern technologies are applied
 Implementation costs include:
 Investment costs of 166,669,900 Є
 Annual operating costs of 15,331,600 Є
 Management costs of 14,100,000 Є
 Training costs of 830,000 Є

5. 5
Why Calarasi County
Was Selected
 Location of the World Bank Agricultural
Pollution Control Project
 Two NVZ designated in Calarasi County
 Nutrient loadings to Danube – a key
challenge for addressing water quality in
the Black Sea

6. 6
Major Components of the
Project
 Characterization of soil and water quality; nitrate sources
and impacts in Calarasi County; establish norms and
methodologies in conducting Water and Soil Quality field
testing; and set up a monitoring plan
 Review of the Romanian Code of Good Agricultural
Practices (CGAP)
 Design a CGAP for small farms and set up a Training
Programme of Assistance
 Development of the Action Programme for Calarasi
County
 Roll-Out and dissemination of project results to the
national level

7. 7
Characterization Report
 The project team has compiled an inventory of nitrate pollution sources,
conducted preliminary soil and water quality testing, and assembled
additional environmental and socio-economic information for Calarasi
County
 This data collection and analysis work served two purposes:
 Establish a Data Collection and Interpretation Model to be used
in developing nitrate reduction action programmes in other
Romanian counties
 Provide inputs for the Calarasi County Characterization Report
 The Characterization Report has been completed – a synthesis of the
contents of this report will be incorporated into the description of the
problem in the Calarasi Action Programme

8. Vulnerable Zones for Nitrate Pollution
from Agricultural Sources in Romania
8
BLUE - Potentially
vulnerable zones due
to runoff into surface
water
PINK - Potentially
vulnerable zones
(medium risk) due to
percolation into
aquifers
RED - Vulnerable
zones (high risk) due
to percolation into
aquifers

9. 9
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in
Calarasi County
Impacted zone Area Vulnerability
Locality Km2 category
Frumusani 64.54 B (pink)
Sohatu 70.35 B (pink)

10. 10

11. 11

12. 12
Code of Good Agricultural
Practices (CGAP)
 Provides recommendations of agricultural practices
and technologies to manage soil and water resources
and reduce pollution due to nutrients and pesticides
 Romanian “Code” responds to requirement in EU
Nitrates Directive and has been published with
financial assistance from theWorld Bank
 APRA requested to review Romanian CGAP and
provide assistance in revising the code and
developing CGAP for small farms
 Proposals will be submitted for revising the CGAP
will be presented to Ministry in October

13. Why a CGAP for small farmers
13
 Large number of small farms in Romania
 Most small farms undercapitalized
 Many of the recommended practices in current
CGAP are focused on large farms that can
exploit economies of scale
 Many of the nitrate-related illnesses are
observed on small farms with inadequate
separation of water supplies from household
sanitation facilities and livestock operations

14. 14
Elaboration of a Local
Action Programme
 Required for all the NVZs
 Local Action Programmes will be approved by a
local commission with implementation
responsibilities shared by river basin authorities
and county-level administration
 Local Action Programmes:
 Should be established for a period of up to 4 years
 Require mandatory adoption of CGAP measures related
to animal wastes and fertilizer application rates and
timing

15. 15
Local Action Programme
for Calarasi County
 APRA is assisting in the development of a Local
Action Programme for Calarasi county:
 To address nitrate problems in the NVZs of the
County
 Serve as a model for other Romanian counties
 Action Programme structure and outline have
been prepared developed
 An interactive workshop will be organized in
October to develop recommended actions

16. 16
Training Program
 Help establish a Training Center in
Calarasi
 Develop a Training Program and
conduct Training of Local Trainers to
ensure continuous assistance and
guidance in applying the CGAP and
implementing the Local Action
Programme

17. 17
Roll-out and Dissemination
of Project Results
 Roll-out Guide - a report summarizing the various
components of the project tasks, the lessons learned in
conducting these tasks, and recommendations for
replicating or extending the analyses at the national level,
for other counties, or at the river basin or regional level
 Final Workshop - to disseminate the project results
and recommend country-wide options for protection of
waters against nitrate and phosphate pollution from
agricultural sources

18. 18
Some Preliminary Findings
 There are a substantial number of data gaps that limit the use
of analytical models to predict changes in water quality as a
result of mitigation efforts:
 Soil surveys have not been conducted since 1980s
 Inadequate ground and surface water quality data in areas
of NVZs
 Romanian agricultural activity at significantly lower levels
than in past:
 Livestock operations curtailed
 Former State Farms divided into smaller economic units
 Irrigation systems have not been maintained and would be
too expensive for many farmers
 Action Programmes will need to account for likely renewed
agricultural activity in the future