UNDP, Sweden, and the United Kingdom support the development of six economic clusters along the Nistru river

The micro-clusters reflect the comparative advantages of the beneficiary regions, with smart economic specialization bringing benefits such as efficiency, competitiveness, and decent income. They contribute to strengthening the export capacities of entrepreneurs on both banks by promoting mutually beneficial cooperation and reintegrating value chains.

The micro-clusters were selected based on an economic convergence analysis, considering the existence of a critical mass of motivated entrepreneurs on both banks of the Nistru, their growth potential and the possibility of creating or improving jobs. They are:

1. Fruit micro-cluster “Fruit Export Hub”  – brings together 15 entrepreneurs from Șoldănești and Camenca micro-region, with a production of around 10,000 tons of fruits. The cluster aims to develop a common export hub to the European Union market, relying on post-harvest infrastructure in Parcani village, Șoldănești district and ensuring larger quantities of homogeneous and quality production.
2. Micro-cluster “Moldova Textile Export” – includes 10 factories and workshops from Rezina, Rîbnița, and Șoldănești micro-region. The micro-cluster aims to support cooperation between entrepreneurs on both banks of the Nistru to overcome common challenges. Cooperation within the cluster will allow larger orders to be taken and promote joint marketing to identify new export markets.
3. Tourism micro-cluster “Riviera Nistrului” – comprises 24 entrepreneurs from localities neighboring the Dubăsari Reservoir, traditionally known as "Moldova’s Sea," the largest lake in Moldova. The cluster aims to strengthen cooperation and integration of all tourism and recreation specialized economic agents on both banks of the Nistru. This involves developing and consolidating a unique tourist destination, "Nistru Riviera," to become the main tourist destination in the Republic of Moldova again. This goal will be achieved by jointly exploiting the export opportunities of recreational, health, and beauty services, attracting clients from the country and the diaspora. In the future, entrepreneurs on both banks of the Nistru intend to establish a joint destination management organization and develop common tourist routes to promote and consolidate "Nistru Riviera" as a tourist destination.
4. Grapes micro-cluster – includes 13 entrepreneurs from Ștefan Vodă, Căușeni, Slobozia, and Grigoriopol micro-region. The table grape sector in Moldova is continually developing and growing but faces significant challenges in promoting efficient exports to European markets and integrating into increasingly sophisticated pan-European supermarket value chains. The cluster aims to create a common table grape export hub (located in Popeasca village, Ștefan Vodă district), based on post-harvest infrastructure development, storage, packaging, and export according to European standards. Entrepreneurs on both banks want to cooperate to ensure direct sales, eliminating intermediaries and facilitating access to major agri-food traders in the European Union.
5. Vegetables micro-cluster – represents an initiative that gathers 12 entrepreneurs traditionally specialized in vegetable production from Ștefan Vodă, Slobozia, Grigoriopol, and Căușeni micro-region. The goal of this hub would be to develop common packaging and export infrastructure by aggregating production and forming larger competitive offers, avoiding intermediaries and directly accessing European trade houses and commercial networks.
6. Apiculture micro-cluster from the Căușeni, Slobozia, Grigoriopol, and Basarabeasca micro-region – includes 12 entrepreneurs from both banks of the Nistru, managing over 3,500 bee families in total. The cluster aims to create a common cross-river apiculture hub, using the existing processing infrastructure in Zaim village, Căușeni district and develop a cross-river integrator for processing and exporting honey and apicultural products, for the mutual benefit of beekeepers on both banks of the Nistru river.

The UNDP/AdTrade project has formed working groups for each cluster, involving over 80 entrepreneurs who have signed commitment agreements for cluster development. By the end of 2024, these will be officially institutionalized and each cluster will receive $200,000 to implement projects and initiatives, thus contributing to strengthening cooperation and economic development on both banks of the Nistru.

UNDP, the European Union, and Switzerland also support the development of 11 other economic clusters, with smart specialization being the driver of local economic development.