The Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Vitalii Koval, met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic to Ukraine, Carlo Formosa, and representatives of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM). Also participating in the meeting were Deputy Minister Oksana Osmachko and the Head of the State Fisheries Agency, Vladyslav Nevesely.
The parties discussed possible areas of cooperation between the two countries in the agricultural sector. In particular, the Italian Ambassador to Ukraine and a representative of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, with the support of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and CIHEAM, signed a project document titled “Programme for Supporting the Recovery of the Economic Potential of Ukraine’s Agro-Food Industry.”
The project will be implemented in the Odessa region, including the Beresivskyi, Rozdilnianskyi, and Odessa districts. Support will target 16,200 small and medium-sized farming enterprises (approximately 48,000 people).
The goal of the project is to support small and medium-sized agribusinesses, strengthen the position of Ukrainian agro-food products in global markets by providing technological support and improving product quality in accordance with European standards, and developing livestock farming. The project also includes support for the development of irrigation systems in the Odessa region. The main idea of the project is training and creating cooperatives for agro-processing from small agricultural enterprises, establishing stable connections between Ukrainian and Italian markets.
Vitalii Koval emphasized that small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the economy and agricultural sector not only in Ukraine but also in Italy. According to him, the stability of Ukraine's economy is ensured through the activities of the agricultural sector.
“The Italian side has confirmed its readiness to invest in the restoration and development of Ukraine's agricultural sector. In particular, as part of the new Pro.UKR project, implemented with the support of AICS and CIHEAM, more than 11 million euros will be directed toward the development of irrigation infrastructure, supporting cooperatives, providing small farmers with equipment, and integrating Ukrainian agribusiness into the European market. This is yet another step toward the effective recovery of Ukrainian agriculture and expanding cooperation with the EU,” noted Vitalii Koval.
The Minister pointed out that Italy produces a lot of finished products such as juice, pasta, wine, and sweets. Ukraine currently mainly exports grain and corn. At the same time, the export value of one ton of Italian agro-products is 2,670 dollars, while Ukrainian agro-products only cost 315 dollars per ton. Last year, Ukraine exported agricultural products worth 24 billion dollars, while Italy exported agricultural products worth 70 billion dollars. Therefore, it is very important for Ukraine to develop agro-processing.
“Ukraine mostly supplies raw materials, while Italy exports products with high added value. It is crucial for us to change this situation by developing joint deep processing, creating more opportunities for Ukrainian producers, and increasing the share of finished products in exports. We are also interested in Italy's marketing experience to determine the proper positioning of Ukrainian products in EU markets,” said the Minister.
Vitalii Koval also thanked the Italian people and government for their consistent support of Ukraine.
Reference
The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) is one of the key newly established institutions, starting its activities in 2016 with the goal of bringing Italy closer to its main European and global partners in the field of development.
Among the activities of AICS are promoting the creation of sustainable, stable, and quality food production systems, improving the nutrition and income of small farmers, including by supporting women and youth access to agriculture.
The International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), founded in 1962, is an intergovernmental organization composed of 13 member states (Albania, Algeria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, and Turkey). The organization has four institutes in Bari (Italy), Chania (Greece), Montpellier (France), and Zaragoza (Spain). The main areas of CIHEAM's activities are agriculture, food, and rural development.
