Agro Food Summit 2025

on May 16, Odesa hosted Agro Food Summit 2025, an event that brought together farmers, government officials, business, academics and international partners to openly discuss the challenges and opportunities of the agricultural sector in times of war. The forum was organized at the initiative of Agrarians of Odesa Region, Oschadbank, U-Nation and with the co-organization of the Regional Development Agency of Odesa Region.

The forum was opened by Oleh Kiper, Head of the Odesa Regional Development Agency, who emphasized that the agricultural sector remains one of the key drivers of the region’s economy. Special attention was paid to the topic of land reclamation. The region is already losing billions of hryvnias annually due to an outdated irrigation system, and 85% of the reclamation infrastructure needs major renovation. According to the head of the Regional Development Agency, the development of this area is becoming a priority, and it is here that both government programs and investor involvement are needed.

The Odesa Regional Development Agency is ready to coordinate this process, acting as a platform for finding solutions, partners, and launching pilot projects to modernize irrigation systems.

Why do we need to act today?

• 85% of irrigation systems in Odesa region are outdated or destroyed.
• Due to droughts, farmers lose up to UAH 11.5 billion in income annually.
• Ukraine has already lost more than 500 thousand hectares of black soil due to soil degradation.
• The cost of fertilizers has increased by 50%, which significantly increases production costs.
• The losses of Ukraine’s agricultural sector as a result of the war exceeded $83 billion.

Despite all the challenges, farmers are showing resilience. In 2024 alone, exports of agricultural products from Odesa region grew by 12%, which demonstrates the high potential of the region. This also emphasizes the importance of developing agro-processing, cooperation between producers, and the introduction of modern technologies.

What did the forum experts suggest?

• Priority restoration and modernization of land reclamation systems as the basis for sustainable agricultural production.
• Creation of new logistics routes and access to alternative markets.
• Focus on the production of highly profitable crops and the development of local brands.
• Implementation of innovations – from precision farming and agrodrones to biotechnology and process automation.
• Strengthening cooperation with international financial institutions to attract investment in the agricultural sector.

The financial partner of the forum was Oschadbank JSC, which presented more than 400 agribusiness support programs, including soft loans, grant programs and financial instruments for the development of small and medium-sized agribusinesses. In recent years, the bank has provided more than UAH 50 billion in loans to the agricultural sector, supporting producers even in the most difficult conditions.

Agro Food Summit 2025 has once again confirmed that addressing the most pressing issues in the agricultural sector requires not only government support but also a strong regional platform to coordinate efforts, launch pilot projects, and establish partnerships.

This is exactly the role of the Regional Development Agency of Odesa Region, an institution that brings together representatives of government, business, and the public sector around real economic solutions.

Together, we are shaping a new model of the agricultural sector – more sustainable, technologically advanced, and value-added, which will remain in the region.