Deputy Ministers of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, Taras Vysotskyi and Iryna Ovcharenko, met with program leaders from the EU Delegation in Ukraine to discuss further cooperation in the agricultural sector.
Taras Vysotskyi expressed gratitude for the support of Ukraine’s agricultural sector in its European integration process. He highlighted that EU projects such as the “Institutional and Policy Reform for Small-Scale Agriculture in Ukraine” (IPRSA) and further support for “Improvement of Legislation, Control, and Awareness in food safety, animal health and welfare, and phytosanitary measures in Ukraine” (ILCA) bolster Ukraine’s institutional capacity on its path to European integration and facilitate more effective adaptation of agricultural producers to EU norms and requirements.
“Ukraine is completing screenings for three negotiation chapters: Agriculture and Rural Development; Food Safety, Veterinary, and Phytosanitary Policy; and Fisheries and Aquaculture. Representatives of the European Commission have highly commended the work done. The implementation of European projects supporting agriculture contributes to the faster and more effective adoption of EU norms and standards in Ukraine. This is crucial work for restoring and enhancing the potential of Ukraine’s agricultural sector,” noted Taras Vysotskyi.
Key areas of support from international partners for the recovery and development of Ukraine’s agricultural sector include:
– Support for farmers in frontline territories;
– Harmonization of legislation in agricultural sector with EU standards, including the adoption of food safety, phytosanitary, and veterinary control standards;
– Promotion of livestock development and the establishment of agricultural infrastructure for storing vegetable products;
– Implementation of humanitarian food initiatives such as Grain from Ukraine and Food from Ukraine, aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s role as a guarantor of global food security. (Government portal)