On March 17, a working meeting took place between the leadership of the Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC) and a delegation of the World Bank, headed by Regional Director for the Planet Practice in the Europe and Central Asia region, Mr. Wahba Naguib Wahba.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state of Ukraine’s agri-food sector, the challenges faced by agricultural producers in the process of European integration, and strengthening partnerships to support the development of the agricultural sector during the war and post-war recovery.

UAC Chairman Andrii Dykun thanked the partners for supporting the “Affordable Loans 5-7-9%” program in Ukraine, which provides agricultural producers with access to concessional financing. This enables them to carry out sowing campaigns, sustain their operations during wartime, and invest in development even amid crisis conditions.

“Medium-sized agricultural producers do not have the same access to financing as large companies, particularly through international financial institutions such as the EBRD or the International Finance Corporation (IFC). In wartime and in the process of European integration, access to affordable financial instruments for medium-sized agricultural enterprises is critically important for their continued operation and development,” noted Andrii Dykun.

Particular attention during the meeting was given to irrigation development as one of the key areas for ensuring stable agricultural production. UAC Deputy Chairman Mykhailo Sokolov emphasized that the potential for irrigation restoration in Ukraine is at least 1 million hectares. This will be facilitated, in particular, by the adoption of draft law No. 7577, which is an important step for further scaling of the reform.

UAC representatives also raised the issue of European integration. They presented the joint position of leading Ukrainian agricultural associations, introduced on March 4 in Brussels, and emphasized the need for support from international financial institutions in establishing systematic communication with European partners regarding the specifics and scale of Ukraine’s agricultural sector.

The UAC expresses its gratitude to the representatives of the World Bank and IFC for the professional discussion and shared vision of the future development of the agricultural sector. We look forward to continued effective cooperation, further constructive meetings, and the practical implementation of the developed solutions.