Transcarpathian farmers received a chance for significant financial support for the development of vegetable and berry growing within the third grant cycle of the Food and Agricultural Program of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Union. New opportunities were presented on November 12, 2024 in Uzhgorod, where local agricultural producers got acquainted with the conditions of participation in the grant program.

According to the information provided by the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration, financial support will be provided to farmers in the amount of 10 to 150 thousand dollars. These funds can be used to purchase new equipment, which is necessary to improve production processes. It is about equipment for harvesting, sorting, packing, storing, processing and transporting crops, as well as for installing irrigation systems, heating and other agricultural technologies.

However, grants will be provided only for future investments. This means that the received funds cannot be used to cover the current costs of enterprises or to complete already started projects. This will ensure effective channeling of resources to new investments and modernization of production.

At the information session held in Uzhhorod, FAO experts presented more than 20 successful European aggregation models that have proven their effectiveness in various countries. They also shared the experience of their implementation in Ukraine. These models will help Transcarpathian agricultural producers to adapt European approaches to Ukrainian realities, which can positively affect the development of the agricultural industry in the region.

The seminar participants had the opportunity to learn about the conditions and selection criteria for the third grant cycle. In addition, the application procedure, project implementation time frames, new sectors of investment priorities and the possibility of co-financing through banks were discussed.

This grant program gives farmers a chance to significantly improve their equipment and technology, which is an important step to increase the competitiveness of the Ukrainian agricultural sector. According to experts, the introduction of the latest technologies will help not only to increase efficiency, but also to ensure the sustainable development of the industry. While the European Union and the UN actively support Ukrainian farmers, this project is an important stage in the modernization of Ukrainian agriculture.