The Harvest Way: charitable agricultural project in Ukraine

‘The Harvest Way’ is a charitable agricultural project launched by the National Network for the Development of Local Philanthropy in 2023, with the support of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and Fondation de France.

The project is based on the successful experience of agricultural initiatives run by the Voznesensk Community Foundation and the ‘Ridnya’ Community Foundation, which have demonstrated effective results in the Voznesensk community and the Stryi district.

The purpose of the project is to promote local vegetable growing, thereby contributing to food security in communities and supporting households. The initiative helps people with small garden plots or a few vegetable beds near their homes to use them more effectively to provide for their families.

Project participants receive:

• mentoring support from experts

• training sessions

• targeted financial assistance to develop their own farms
• the opportunity to showcase their produce at annual fairs
• a community of like-minded people 

Geography of the project

The project is being implemented in partnership with 12 community foundations across 56 communities in 10 regions of Ukraine.

The partnership network includes:

• Voznesensk Community Foundation, Voznesensk, Mykolaiv Oblast (Voznesensk Community)
• ‘Bari’ Community Foundation, Bar, Vinnytsia Oblast (Bar Community)
• ‘Hostynets’ NGO, Novoyavorivsk, Lviv Oblast (Novoyavorivsk Community)
• Boyarka Community Foundation, Boyarka, Kyiv Oblast (Boyarka Community)
• ‘Ridnya’ Community Foundation, Stryi, Lviv Region (Stryi, Zhydachiv, Mykolaiv, Morshyn, Novorozdil, Skole, Khodoriv urban communities; Hnizdychiv, Zhuravne, Slavska settlement communities; Hrabovetsko-Dulibivska, Kozivska, Rozvadivska, Trostyanetska rural communities)
• NGO CDF ‘Future of Koropshchyna’ (Korop, Sosnytsia, Novobasana, Novhorod-Siverskyi, Losynivka, Tupychiv, and Ponornytsia communities (Chernihiv Oblast))
• NGO ‘Scientific and Technical Centre ‘Podillia Bioregion’’, Kamianets-Podilskyi (Kamianets-Podilskyi, Dunayevets, Staroushitsa, Chemerovets, Humenets, Zhvanets, Kytayhorod, and Slobidsko-Kulchievets communities)
• Zhytomyr Community Foundation (Zhytomyr, Teteriv, Hlybochytsia, Oliiv, Hryshkovets, Lyubar, Brusyliv, Dovby, Novohuyvyn, Andrushiv, Pulyn, Radomyshl, Stanyshiv (Zhytomyr Oblast))
• Dubno Community Foundation ‘Dobrobut’, Dubno, Rivne Oblast (Dubno, Smyz, Tarakaniv, Pryvilne communities (Rivne Oblast))
• ‘Podilsk Community’ Community Fund, Vinnytsia, Vinnytsia Oblast (Yakushynetska, Luka-Meleshkivska, Vinnytska communities (Vinnytsia Oblast))
• Vuzlyk Community Fund (Velykovyskivska Village Council (Kirovohrad Oblast))
• NGO ‘Agricultural Farm ‘The Future Is Yours’’ (Berezivska, Hlukhivska communities (Sumy Oblast))

Main stages of the project

Educational training courses

Project participants can take part in training sessions, the themes of which are tailored to the community’s needs.

Possible topics include: 

• gardening
• effective vegetable growing
• organic farming
• soil care
• modern gardening techniques

Training sessions provide a forum for sharing experiences, practical knowledge and new ideas that help improve crop production efficiency.

Attending these training sessions significantly increases chances of receiving financial support.

The training materials can also be viewed online on the ‘The Harvest Way’  YouTube channel.

Targeted financial assistance

Residents of the above-mentioned communities can apply for targeted financial assistance to develop their own agricultural activities.

The monies may be used for: 

• greenhouses
• tools and equipment for soil preparation
• seeds and seedlings
• fertilisers
• vertical gardening systems
• and other products, which will facilitate effective plant growing

However, the funding does not cover expenses relating to:

• large agricultural enterprises
• product processing
• livestock farming
• beekeeping
• the purchase of goods not related to the development of the household plot

To receive financial assistance, the participants have to: 

• pass a competitive selection process
• sign a contract
• use the funds within one month
• provide supporting documents (receipts).

Group initiatives 

The project also encourages participants to form groups to bring their shared ideas to life.

For example, several households could pool their funds to set up a joint project — such as building a greenhouse or developing a communal plot.

Such initiatives: 

• strengthen cooperation between residents
• allow realisation of larger projects
• increase the chances of receiving assistance.

Collaboration with local businesses 

One key area is partnership with local enterprises.

Households can grow:

• vegetables
• fruit
• herbs
• other agricultural produce

Local businesses, in turn, can purchase these raw materials for their own production.

This creates a mutually beneficial model of cooperation:

• residents receive additional income
• businesses gain a stable source of raw materials
• communities benefit from economic development and tax revenue.

Food security in communities

A separate area of focus is the development of food security policies at the community level.

Full-scale war and global crises have highlighted just how important it is for communities to be able to provide for themselves with food products on their own.

As part of the project, local community foundations, together with Philanthropists, are working with local authorities to develop long-term food security programmes.

Such programmes may include:

• soil analysis
• financial support for households
• educational programmes
• setting up shared greenhouses
• constructing grain storage facilities
• developing local food production.

The aim is for communities to have a clear strategy for responding to food security challenges and mechanisms for supporting the population once the project has been completed.

Contact information

For any enquiries regarding the ‘The Harvest Way’ project, please contact the project manager:

Svyatoslav Koval

s.koval@philanthropy.com.ua

We are open to collaboration and partnerships.