Mennonite Economic DevelopmentAssociates of Canada

Published purpose

This project aims to strengthen the capacity of 5,000 smallholder farmers in the regions of Crimea and Zaporizhzhia to engage profitably, competitively, and sustainably in the production, processing, and marketing of high-value horticulture commodities. Farmers in these two regions are faced with a range of constraints that inhibit their access to markets and lead to a significant percentage of the population living in poverty. The project involves partnering with lead farmers, local farmer associations and agriculture extension services to deliver technical training and other agriculture support services designed to improve production and facilitate access to markets for smallholder farmers. The project also implies working with credit unions in both regions in order to give horticulture producers of these rural regions better access to loans.