German-Ukrainian Cooperation in Organic Agriculture (COA), Phase 1

The first project phase aimed to sustainably strengthen education and training for specialists and managers in Ukrainian organic farming. To this end, the project supported the development and operation of a practical knowledge platform with up-to-date information on organic agriculture in Ukraine. At the same time, employees of public authorities responsible for implementing the organic farming law and monitoring the sector were trained in the legal framework through targeted advisory and training measures.

The focus was on capacity building at the institutional level, particularly in the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade, and Agriculture (MEDTA), in subordinate authorities, and at the national accreditation body.

Key topics:

• Sustainable, EU-compliant design of the legal framework
• Technical and professional support for entry into organic farming
• Development of demand potential
• Development of national and international markets
• Increasing the performance of organic agricultural systems in terms of yield, sustainability and biodiversity
• Development of strategies for rewarding the environmental performance of organic farms

The project was implemented by GOPA AFC GmbH as the lead partner in a consortium with IAK Agrar Consulting GmbH.