At the end of August, representatives of 20 municipalities from the southern and eastern oblasts of Ukraine participated in a three-day seminar on implementing a food security programme. Participants had an opportunity to discuss the theoretical foundations and exchange views with experts, and gain practical experience in Pokrovska municipality.
Starting from 2022, the Pokrovske settlement council together with the Agricultural Advisory Service NGO supported by U-LEAD provides residents, defenders and IDPs with food and water. Currently, the municipality operates a logistics centre. The capacity of its three warehouses allows storing a large amount of food, while the refrigerators hold 15 tonnes of frozen products. In order to improve logistics and communication, they created a chatbot to inform people about food arrivals and collect information about their needs, requests for logistics services, storage or offers to transfer humanitarian aid to those in need.
"Food security in municipality is a common goal that united residents and businesses. With the establishment of the logistics centre, the Pokrovske settlement council got an effective tool to meet the needs and algorithms for problem-solving," said Olena Tertyshna, Head of the U-LEAD with Europe Regional Office in Dnipro Oblast.
The logistics centre is located on the premises of a former printing house. Its area is 600 square metres. The local authorities carried out major repairs, and due to the U-LEAD subvention, they purchased the necessary warehouse, packaging and cooling machinery, ventilation and climate control equipment, and electrical appliances. In case of a blackout, there is a powerful electric generator that ensures the safety of products in proper conditions.
The staff of the logistics centre received training and formed a volunteer team to support the centre's customers.
"The results of implementing the food security programme developed by the Pokrovske settlement council with the expert support of U-LEAD attracted the interest of other municipalities. They responded to the initiative to sign an agreement on inter-municipal cooperation," Tertyshna added.
Komarska municipality of Donetsk Oblast and Malomykhailivska municipality of Dnipro Oblast were the first to sign the agreement. During the visit, Hlukhivska municipality of Sumy Oblast, Blyzniukivska municipality of Kharkiv Oblast, Velyka Lukashivska municipality of Zaporizhzhia Oblast as well as Myrovska municipality of Dnipro Oblast joined the IMC.
"So, having become a mentor for twenty municipalities in the South and East of Ukraine in developing and implementing the Food Security Programme, Pokrovska municipality made the next step in this area by starting cooperation," the Head said.
The municipalities are to join forces in organising logistics, train staff responsible for implementing food security programmes in the municipalities, and share their experience in managing these processes and implementing joint economic projects.
"Our municipality has a lot to learn from the Pokrovske settlement council. We are located on the state border, and the enemy shells our territory every day. Many residents give up because land cultivation has become life-threatening. Here the municipality found a tool to consolidate business, residents and local authorities. It is our task to create such a municipal logistics centre," said Liudmyla Sukhoruchkina, Head of the Social and Economic Development Department of the Hlukhiv City Council.
Iryna Voden, Deputy Head of Mykhailo-Lukashivska municipality, stressed that the experience of Pokrovska municipality, which borders Zaporizhzhia Oblast, is also useful for them in terms of joint economic activity.
"Food security is essential for our municipality. By signing a memorandum of cooperation, we expect that Pokrovska municipality to be our mentor and together we can develop a quality programme and implement it," added Kateryna Moreva, Chief of Staff of the Executive Committee of the Myrove Village Council.