“Rural Development and the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union” is the topic of the second info session organised by the U-LEAD with Europe Programme for Ukraine’s municipalities. The event was held in cooperation with the EU project “Institutional Policy Reform for Smallholder Agriculture” (IPRSA). Anatolii Parkhomiuk, Chief of the Working Group on Rural Development and Head of the Regional Office of U-LEAD in the Volyn Oblast, spoke about it.
According to him, the purpose of this event was to give local self-government professionals an understanding of the potential benefits of infrastructure investments for the consolidation of agricultural production in municipalities, as well as to consider various examples of successful infrastructure projects and their impact on the local economy under the CAP.
As Richard Rozwadowski, an international expert on rural development and the IPRSA project, noted in his speech, the project is designed to promote the functionality and tools of the State Agrarian Registry, as well as to develop and implement the AKIS Ukraine model (Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Transfer System):
“Another task of the project is to provide informational and consulting assistance to executive authorities and local self-government bodies in the implementation of European approaches to the development of rural areas.”
Richard Rozwadowski spoke about the EU agricultural policy (CAP) in detail. He emphasised that the CAP is a common policy that applies to all EU countries. It is managed and financed at the European level (EUR 57.98 billion per year) using the funds of the EU general budget (EUR 103.38 billion per year). The CAP is managed by the Department of Agriculture and Development of Rural Areas of the Commission. The Department is authorised to adopt delegated and implementing acts under the Common Agricultural Policy. The CAP subsidises farmers and rural areas through the following measures: Component I (Income Support and Market Measures) and Component II — (Development of Rural Areas):
“Indeed, the majority of small farmers in Ukraine work in difficult conditions and do not receive sufficient support. Our efforts are aimed at promoting a more inclusive, sustainable and competitive agricultural sector that respects the environment, increases incomes in rural areas and slows down rural migration.”
According to Anatolii Parkhomiuk, the resources that Ukraine can access as a candidate for EU membership and in general in the future will facilitate the development of rural areas agricultural production. They may also help focus on smallholder agriculture where entities in rural areas provide jobs for themselves and the locals.
The second speaker of the event, Graham Dale, an international consultant for the development of value chains and market infrastructure of the project, spoke about another goal of the CAP — increasing competitiveness. He also presented some case studies and shared the experience of farmers from the EU.
Another goal of the CAP — fair income for farmers — was also discussed at the event. In addition, participants also received practical advice on berries and vegetables. This topic was explained to the municipalities by Graham Dale together with Andrii Halias, the project’s expert on market infrastructure and value chain development in the berry growing. Cases of the Vynohradiv Wholesale Market, a packaging shop in Zarichcha, a cabbage nursery and a freezing plant were presented.
“Why should local self-government take care of rural development? These functions are not specific to municipalities, nor are they fully defined by law. However, decentralised local self-government bodies can and should act as a communication bridge between local farmers and potential investors, promote their ties, help in finding resources for the development of agriculture in their territory,” said Anatolii Parkhomiuk.