Management approaches for sustainable growth in Moldova’s Sunflower Sector

Abstract Moldova is one of the 15 largest sunflower growing countries. In the past decades, significant changes have been implemented in Moldovan farming due to the liberalization of the agricultural economy after its independence in 1991 and the transition to a market economy, as well as uncontrolled land use. The impact of such changes on production remains mostly unexplored. To determine which factors impede the attainment of higher yields and whether this problem can be solved by conducting further research to improve and manage the sunflower cultivation or by improving the efficiency of farmers’ support systems, the current situation of sunflower production in Moldovan farms was investigated. In this context, the databases of the National Bureau of Statistics of Moldova and the Food and Agriculture Organization were analyzed and farmers’ surveys in different locations across the Republic of Moldova were conducted. The data related to the dynamics of sunflower production, yield and the surface of sunflower growing area, as well as of applied agricultural practices have been accumulated. It has been established the significant expansion of sunflower cultivated area which was leading to (i) considerable exploitation of land where sunflower is cultivated; (ii) failure of crop rotations; (iii) the accumulation of various pathogens. Some solutions to redress the situation have been proposed.