Ukraine has officially joined the International Fund for Agricultural Development

Ukraine is now a member state of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). This prestigious organisation is the only UN agency fully focused on agricultural transformation, rural economic development and food systems. This was announced by Vitalii Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

“Ukraine’s accession to the International Fund for Agricultural Development is a strategic step that the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food has been working on, and after the last working meeting with IFAD representatives in Rome, we managed to become the 179th member country. Membership in IFAD gives Ukraine new opportunities and prospects that will contribute to the development of the agricultural sector as a whole,” Vitalii Koval said.

According to the Minister, IFAD’s priority is the development of small farming. IFAD’s support will allow Ukrainian producers to increase their competitiveness, strengthen their market position and influence the development of the country’s agricultural sector in general.

Also, Ukrainian producers will have access to low-cost financial resources, grant support, participation in the Fund’s tenders for the procurement of goods and services, and investments to support sustainable development. In particular, in the following areas:

• increasing productivity;
• increase in revenues;
• innovative technologies;
• resilience to crises and climate change.

In addition, according to Vitalii Koval, joining the Fund will facilitate investments in the development of rural infrastructure and in technologies that help to adapt to climate change, which is critical for Ukrainian farmers working in the south of the country.

“Ukraine’s integration into the Fund not only contributes to the development of the agricultural sector, but also creates new opportunities for building a sustainable, productive and innovative agricultural sector in the country,” the Minister stressed.

Earlier, on October 14, 2024, a Ukrainian delegation arrived in Rome, consisting, in particular, of representatives of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and representatives of public organisations. Notably, the General Director of the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation, Pavlo Koval, worked as part of the delegation from Ukraine. The Ukrainian team was on a working visit to Italy, where, in particular, the issue of Ukraine joining IFAD was discussed.

On October 15, the forum “Food Systems Transformation in Ukraine – Prospects for Long-term Sustainable Development" took place at the IFAD site. The program is full of topical issues important for the development of the agricultural industry of Ukraine.

The event was organised by the German-Ukrainian Agricultural Policy Dialogue (APD), which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and implemented by IAK Agrar Consulting GmbH.

On this day, the General Director of the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation, Pavlo Koval, also took part in the discussion on directions and tools of cooperation with IFAD.

Pavlo Koval gave a speech on the topic: "Transformation of food systems of Ukraine in the conditions of challenges and innovations".

"I represent a non-governmental organisation from Ukraine that is dedicated to supporting farmers, agricultural technologies and sustainable development of agriculture. Today we are experiencing unprecedented challenges due to war, destruction of infrastructure, climate change and economic difficulties. However, these challenges give us the opportunity to rethink our role in global food systems", the General Director of the APO "UAC" said.

First of all, according to him, there is an urgent need to adapt to the challenges. Ukraine, being one of the key exporters of agricultural products, is facing significant destruction. More than 17% of agricultural land is temporarily inaccessible, and a large part of irrigation systems has been destroyed. In these conditions, our country is forced to quickly adapt agricultural production, restore logistics and infrastructure.

At the same time, Pavlo Koval urged, Ukraine needs the support of the international community, including IFAD, to restore Ukrainian rural areas and modernise our irrigation systems.

Secondly, the expert noted, innovation is the key to a sustainable future.

We believe that innovative solutions in technology, automation, AI and digitalisation can become our competitive advantages. Ukraine is already making strides in implementing precision farming technologies, using drones to monitor fields, and automated water management systems.

Ukraine is ready to become a pilot platform for testing new innovative solutions in agriculture. We are open to partnerships with international companies and organisations to develop innovative solutions that can be scaled globally.

Thirdly, Pavlo Koval noted that supporting small farmers is the basis of stability.

Our country has faced serious difficulties in supporting small farmers. We recognise that this segment requires special attention. The systems of subsidies, loans and state support are not yet able to provide sufficient assistance. This negatively affects the sustainability of our agricultural sector.

We need targeted smallholder support programs that can be implemented with IFAD support to ensure access to finance, technology and markets for those most in need.

In addition, environmental sustainability and food security are important.

Ukraine is committed to integrating environmental standards into its food systems, but we require technical and financial assistance to implement organic practices and rehabilitate degraded lands.

Therefore, the General Director of UAC, on behalf of the Ukrainian agricultural community, called on IFAD to support ecological farming programs in Ukraine and to help adapt European ecological standards to our conditions.

"Ukraine stands at the forefront of the global food system, and despite the challenges, we believe in the power of innovation, cooperation and international support to restore and transform our agriculture. We hope that the IFAD platform will become the platform where Ukraine can find partners to implement our ambitious plans," Pavlo Koval, the General Director of the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation concluded.

IC UAC according to the MAPFU