A Legacy of Cooperation in Moldova: Supporting the Agrostoc Cooperative
By: Cnfa, Cultivating New Frontiers In Agriculture
Tags: Moldova, Agriculture, Farming, Volunteering, Usaid

The Agrostoc cooperative was founded in August 2001, when 15 Moldovan farm service stores created a U.S.-style input supply cooperative. Their goal was to improve the quality of inputs for farmers, while earning bargaining power with foreign suppliers.

Through the continued support of 17 volunteers from both the previous and current Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)-implemented Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) programs, Moldovan farmers can now access reliable and affordable quality inputs through the cooperative.

Agrostoc facilities, Moldova

Agrostoc quickly became the trusted liaison between input producers, primary distributors, and farmers in Moldova. Since 2001, the cooperative has reported a 137-fold increase in annual sales, from $343,000 in its first year to over $47 million today. Membership has also grown from 15 to 149 during the same period, while the number of full-time staff has increased from four to 36 employees.

Current Agrostoc President Igor Tagadiuc credited F2F volunteers for guiding the cooperative to a proven path for business success, based on U.S. cooperative experience.

“Agrostoc’s leadership on the market is mostly ensured by the professional reputation of its agronomists and salespeople, as well as by their ability to provide quality and convenient services,” said Tagadiuc. “And the Farmer-to-Farmer volunteers have played a critical role in bringing U.S. best practices to Moldova, at a time when none of our competitors were really thinking about customer satisfaction and long-term relations.”

Women reviewing inventory at Agrostoc facilities, Moldova

Over the decades, F2F has provided a wide range of support to Agrostoc from sharing hands-on production methodologies to providing training in business and financial management, marketing, and organizational development.

While each F2F volunteer has contributed individually to Agrostoc’s success, several assignments have stood out over the years. Focusing on production, volunteer William Dahnke conducted three assignments from 2002 to 2004 focused on laying the foundations for Agrostoc’s soil testing procedures and state-of-the-art fertilizer program — services that are still used by the cooperative’s members today.

In 2003 and 2007 respectively, volunteers Brian Matthys and Dick Hatterman engaged in business, financial management and marketing assignments that focused on customer service best practices. They conducted trainings on cooperative business management that helped Agrostoc build a strong customer service orientation and foundation for business success.

And in 2019, Ann Young, a repeat Agrostoc financial management volunteer from Wisconsin, helped upgrade the cooperative’s financial systems. “Agrostoc is an organization that has already grown immensely. They have a great team, great business model and strong leadership,” noted Young. “[Agrostoc] is adding significant value for Moldovan farmers and can be a strong player in the future.”

Agrostoc employee, Moldova

Today, Agrostoc continues to grow and the cooperative has become an important player in Moldova’s organic agriculture sector. Agrostoc is also now involved in an initiative to improve agriculture insurance practices in the country. “The cooperative withstood the test of time thanks to the acknowledgment that cooperation generates a thriving future,” said Alexandru Smutin, Chair of the Agrostoc Board of Directors. “We went through good and bad times, and despite that, we managed to overcome challenges and develop. We focus on transparency, flexibility and quality. I am sure that we will continue to succeed, develop and grow harmoniously.”

The 17 extraordinary F2F volunteers who have helped Agrostoc achieve success are looking forward to seeing what Agrostoc can accomplish next.