Ukraine became an official member of the International Fund for Rural Development (IFAD), the only UN agency specializing in supporting agricultural reforms, transformation of food systems, and development of the rural economy. This event is an important stage for Ukraine, because it will allow the agricultural sector to obtain new resources for sustainable development.

The Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Vitaliy Koval announced joining IFAD. According to him, Ukraine's membership in the fund is a strategic decision that the ministry has been working on in recent years. After important talks with IFAD representatives in Rome, Ukraine became the 179th member country, opening new opportunities for domestic farmers.

The minister noted that the main focus of IFAD's work is the support of small farming, which is also a key direction for the Ukrainian agricultural sector. Thanks to the help of the Fund, Ukrainian farmers will be able to increase the competitiveness of their products, strengthen their position in international markets and expand access to modern agricultural technologies.

IFAD membership also provides Ukrainian producers with access to financial resources, including soft loans and grants. Ukraine will be able to participate in tenders for the purchase of goods and services, which opens the way to new investments in areas such as increasing productivity, innovative agricultural technologies, increasing farmers' incomes and increasing resilience to climate change.

Investments in rural infrastructure will also be a key area of ​​cooperation. The fund aims to support projects that will help adapt Ukrainian agriculture to climate change, especially in the southern regions, where this problem is particularly acute. The introduction of modern technologies in these regions will help to increase productivity and protect crops from adverse conditions.

Thus, the integration of Ukraine into IFAD is an important step in the direction of sustainable development of agriculture. Minister Koval emphasized that the new status in the fund opens up prospects for the creation of an innovative, productive and sustainable agricultural industry, which will ensure the growth of the economy and food security of Ukraine for many years to come.