Agriculture and Rural Development Support (ARDS)

ARDS will support broad-based, resilient economic growth through a more inclusive, competitive, and better-governed agriculture sector that provides attractive livelihoods in rural areas of Ukraine.

The activity will provide specialized technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture as it implements reforms in the spheres of land administration, irrigation, organic production development, market access for farmers, and rural development.

In order to implement international approaches and best practices into the system of state control over food business operators and ensure harmonization with European directives and regulations on food quality and safety, ARDS experts will advise and help implement the the transfer of regulatory responsibilities from government to business associations and CSOs, and conduct trainings and mentorships to improve their capacity to perform the functions of self-regulatory organizations with a focus on the dairy and meat value chains.

To improve productivity and agricultural sector competitiveness, ARDS will connect small and medium farmers in fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy value chains to businesses higher up in the value chain, that buy produce for processing from surrounding small farmers in their communities.

As a result of these partnerships, small farmers will increase their incomes by selling more of their produce to processors.

These rural households will also be able to plan and invest in their production because they will know that they have a steady and growing market through processors. ARDS will use grants to co-finance such projects together with processors.

In addition, an important element of ARDS assistance is introduction of international quality and safety standards across the targeted value chains in order to increase market access for producers.