European and Ukrainian young farmer groups form partnership
The European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) and the Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC) Young Farmers' Association have today (Tuesday, June 23) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The main objective of the MoU will be for the organisations to support each other on the areas of agricultural policy, governance, projects, and resilience.
Chair of the Association of Young Farmers of UAC, Igor Novytskyi, and CEJA’s secretary general, Marion Picot, met at CEJA headquarters in Brussels to formalise the entry into force of the agreement.
Young farmers
CEJA said it is "enthusiastic to lay the foundations" for a "beneficial and structured partnership" with the Association of Young Farmers of the UAC.
The group said the MoU is the first step in learning about the challenges faced by Ukrainian young farmers amid the ongoing war with Russia.
CEJA said it is "more important than ever to demonstrate solidarity not only with words but also with a systemic co-developed work programme to foster learning, empowerment, and knowledge exchange among the farmers of Europe".
Igor Novytskyi, chair of the UAC Young Farmers' Association, said: "Ukrainian young farmers are working under circumstances that would have seemed unimaginable just a few years ago".
"Despite the challenges of war, they continue to produce food, develop their farms, and invest in the future.
"It is extremely important for us that Ukrainian youth become part of the European agricultural community already today.
"This partnership opens new opportunities for learning, professional development, and participation in shaping the policies that will define the future of agriculture in Europe," he added.
Ukraine
In a statement, CEJA’s presidency highlighted the strategic importance of this partnership.
"As young farmers, we fully recognise the power of the network and strength in the diversity of ideas.
"Being able to have a new partner in the Association of Young Farmers of UAC is a precious asset for both organisations' long-term perspectives, in particular, thanks to our new partners, we will be readier to anticipate market shocks and geopolitical crises through dialogue, collaboration, and planning," the statement read.
The MoU will ensure a dedicated spot for the Association of Young Farmers of UAC to CEJA’s EU Young Farmers Leadership Programme.
CEJA, which represents around 2 million young European farmers, said it will benefit from the partnership by "getting expert advice on relevant topics such as enlargement, resilient agricultural systems, and generational renewal".
