SMART AGRO FORUM: THE FUTURE OF UKRAINIAN AGRIBUSINESS within the Erasmus+ project (14.10.2025, online)
On October 14, 2025, Zaporizhzhia National University hosted the SMART AGRO FORUM: “The Future of Ukrainian Agribusiness”, which brought together over 200 participants — representatives of national and local authorities, advisory services, territorial communities, agribusinesses, public organizations, women farmers, educators, researchers, veterans, students, and all those interested in the recovery of rural territories and agriculture across Ukraine.
The event was held within the framework of the EU Erasmus+ Jean Monnet project “European Integration and Sustainable Development of Rural Territories of Ukraine as a Basis for Ensuring Food Security in the Post-War Recovery” — NEWAGRO (101127828 — ERASMUS-JMO-2023-HEI-TCH-RSCH).
The forum was organized by Zaporizhzhia National University, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine, the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine, the Zaporizhzhia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the National Association of Agricultural Advisory Services of Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian Association of United Territorial Communities, the German-Ukrainian Agri-Policy Dialogue (APD), the National Scientific Center “Institute of Agrarian Economics,” the Academy of Rural Development, the Union for Rural Green Tourism of Ukraine, UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group, the consulting agency “Open Marketing,” the NGO “Council of Women Farmers,” the NGO “Ecoaction,” the NGO “Zaporizhzhia Legal Alliance,” the Charitable Foundation “YaroslavKo,” and other partner institutions.
The event was opened by Professor, Doctor of Economics Svitlana Kushnir, who emphasized that the forum was designed as a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience, and ideas, as well as a source of inspiration for Ukrainians engaged in rural development and agribusiness.
With welcoming remarks addressed to the audience, First Vice-Rector of Zaporihzhia National University, Doctor of Legal Sciences, Professor Oleksandr Bondar; Vice-Rector for International and Project Activities of Zaporizhzhia National University, Doctor of Philology, Professor Olena Tupakhina; Coordinator of Projects of the National Erasmus+ Office in Ukraine, PhD in Education Svitlana Shytikova; and Vice President of the Zaporizhzhia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, PhD in Economics Andrii Kuts emphasized the wide geography and active participation of the attendees, the crucial role of the NEWAGRO project in promoting European values, and the need for synergy between government, academia, and agribusiness in post-war rural recovery.
The forum opened with a discussion on Ukraine’s screening process with the European Commission under Chapter 11 “Agriculture and Rural Development” and the prospects for introducing the European AKIS model (Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems) to strengthen the national advisory framework. Mykola Moroz, Director General of the Directorate for Agro-Industrial Development of the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, and Roman Korinets, Director of the National Association of Agricultural Advisory Services of Ukraine, emphasized the importance of close cooperation between government, business, and civil society, and the role of partnership models in the decentralization of agricultural management.
Maria Yaroshko, Head of the German-Ukrainian Agri-Policy Dialogue (APD), and Svitlana Pavlenko, APD expert, shared proposals for establishing an Institute of Agricultural Consultants, presenting practical examples of cooperation with communities from various Ukrainian regions.
Professor Serhii Kushnir, Vice-Rector of Zaporihzhia National University, and Anna Danyliak, environmental expert from the NGO “Ecoaction,” highlighted the need to implement energy-efficient technologies, promote decarbonization in agriculture, and manage environmental risks related to the use of nitrates.
Ruslan Kuliak, Senior Legal Advisor on Land Issues at the LLC “Service Center,” provided a legal analysis of current amendments in land legislation, proposed a secure algorithm for property rights registration, and addressed problematic issues in land documentation.
Special attention has been drawn to the presentations by Olha Zastavska, Head of the NGO “Council of Women Farmers,” and its members Olena Shcherbakova (family farm “GurmeEko,” dairy farming) and Hanna Ishchenko (Development Agency of Shyrokivska Community, herbal tea production). Their talks explored the socio-economic dimensions of women’s entrepreneurship in rural recovery, emphasizing women’s vital role in food security. They shared personal experiences of resilience and adaptation, highlighting successful strategies of small-scale farming and business revival in front-line regions.
The theme of women’s leadership in transforming the agribusiness sector was further developed by Dr. Anna Hurenko, business trainer and certified management consultant from the consulting agency “Open Marketing,” who presented cases demonstrating female leadership as a driver of organizational change, and by Andrii Kaurov, Head of Regional Unit, together with Yuliia Lesniak, Head of Digital Communications at UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group, who introduced a banking program supporting and financing women’s entrepreneurship in rural areas.
Iryna Zaitseva, an entrepreneur from the Kharkiv region, shared her experience in developing a microbusiness in the food industry and outlined successful approaches to scaling and marketing.
Oleksandr Savaschuk, Senior Specialist of the Veterans Policy Sector of the Kamianske Settlement Military Administration, presented effective cases of veterans’ involvement in the agricultural sector as a means of psychological and economic reintegration.
Dr. Halyna Studynska, Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Scientific Research Organization and Innovation Development, NSC “Institute of Agrarian Economics,” discussed specific approaches to integrating project management into the system of organic production, emphasizing the importance and benefits of standardization to expand export markets for processed products. Dr. Natalia Venherska, Deputy Head of the Union for Rural Green Tourism of Ukraine, Associate Professor, and participant of the NEWAGRO project (2023–2025), presented a comparative analysis of rural green tourism practices, focusing on innovative digital solutions and European experiences. Drawing on Estonian business models, she emphasized practical elements that could be adapted for Ukraine. Dr. Mariia Plotnikova, Associate Professor at the Department of Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism, Polissia State University, presented a model for multifunctional rural development based on participatory local processes and four dimensions of sustainability — social, cultural, environmental, and economic — to support community recovery.
Participants noted the high practical value of the presentations, the well-structured program, and the engaged interaction among speakers and attendees. The forum demonstrated the importance of combining academic research, advisory practices, and international experience in rebuilding Ukraine’s agrarian sector.
The SMART AGRO FORUM served as a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and defining future directions for rural development and agribusiness in the post-war period.
Prepared using the materials of the Zaporizhzhia National University.