Agrico: Rebuilding Potato Ukraine

Before the war, Ukraine was the third-largest potato producer globally. However, the conflict has severely impacted the potato market in Ukraine, leading to increased production costs, unavailability of seed potatoes, decreased output, declining market demand, lower sales prices, and additional pressure from climate change.

Agrico's project "Rebuilding Potato Ukraine" is funded by the Ukraine Partnership Facility (UPF), a program from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency commissioned by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. UPF supports damage repair and reconstruction projects for the public and private sectors. UPF aims to help the sustainable recovery of Ukraine's economy and society in the water, healthcare and agricultural sectors.

Climate Smart Potato Demo Center

The project will establish a Ukraine-Netherlands climate-smart potato demonstration center, which will reverse the negative trends in the potato value chain. It will contribute to food security, and it will be the foundation for sustainable economic development. 

The center will focus on potato production and education to Ukrainian farmers. Investments will be made in drip infrastructure, a cold store, and equipment. The educational component will cover various aspects such as cultivation practices, equipment handling, cold store management, regenerative farming, and business cases. Around 3,000 farmers, including over 60% women, will be educated both physically at the demonstration center and remotely through digital means.

The climate-smart potato demo center will enable Ukrainian – small and medium-sized - farmers to grow table potatoes for the local Ukrainian market. In total, they will produce 53 million kg of potatoes a year. This is what we mean by 'contribution to food security'.

Partners

The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and RVO support the project financially. Agrico NL is responsible for project management and reporting. APH Group from the Netherlands ('APH') - one of the largest global distributors of equipment and installations in the grain, potato, and vegetable business - is responsible for training the Agrico UA trainers and for the supply and after-sales of various equipment.

Agrico Ukraine – Ukraine’s seed potato market leader and representing Agrico NL for almost 20 years - is responsible for establishing the demonstration center, assuring its operations, and educating Ukrainian farmers.
 

Agrico Smart Farming

Nick Gordiichuk, Director at Agrico Ukraine:
 

"We are very grateful for this initiative of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This project gives us future perspective and hope."

Sustainable Development Goals

The project aligns with Ukrainian and Dutch policy goals and contributes to at least seven Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including zero hunger, sustainable economic growth, and climate action. 

The primary risk identified is disruptions due to the ongoing war, with plans in place to manage disruptions. Flexibility in operations and a pragmatic approach to managing risks associated with the war are key principles. Overall, the project focuses on immediate food security needs while laying the groundwork for sustainable growth in the future.