Transforming agrifood systems using climate-smart approaches to build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic | FAO Food Coalition | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Countries involved

Germany
Ukraine

National institutions

National Scientific Centre “Institute of Agrarian Economics” (Ukraine)

Non-state actors

Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) (The Federal Republic of Germany)
The Association of Farmers and Private Landowners (Ukraine)
National Association of Agricultural Advisory Services (Ukraine)

Time frame

2021-2023

Background

COVID-19 has damaged Ukraine's agricultural sector by disrupting the sustainability of agrifood systems. Another significant challenge is climate change, which has been occurring rapidly in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the sales of agricultural products by farmers as shown by the index of the physical volume of agricultural products sold by farmers in 2020 that was 88.4 percent of the 2019 value. Macroeconomic employment trends in the pandemic 2020 proved to be destructive. Overall, the employment indicator in 2020 compared to 2019 was negative.

This context calls for the development of scientifically sound proposals to ensure decent livelihood for farmers, especially women and youth. Improving the institutional and political environment to promote coordination and coherence in policy development is therefore of paramount importance.

Objective

Strengthening Institutions for better service delivery to farmers

The project aims at strengthening the institutional and political environment, both at national and local level. This will entail the development of policies and investment plans to create a favourable policy framework and coordinated policy-making processes within institutions responsible for agriculture, climate change, food security and land use.
To do so, the project will primarily focus on studies on the impact of COVID-19 and quarantine measures on agrifood systems and on developing policies in support to farmers to ensure food security, and conceptual frameworks for the evaluation of their effectiveness.

Activities

Cross-sectoral dialogues to enhance coordination among institutions dealing with agriculture, climate change, social protection, food security and land market at national and local levels;
Support to policy development and institutional capacity of the Government of Ukraine on climate change and agriculture at the national and local levels;
Support the development of climate information services, data collection and data sharing;
Farmer training (online and offline/field courses) on transition to more sustainable agrifood systems with a focus on smallholders and young farmers.