Just an update on activities.
Back again and thought I should provide an update.
The project is to develop extension/farm advisory for 4 provinces/states (oblasts in the Ukraine). An issue that has been identified over time is the need to get agronomic and business management information to small/subsistance farms and to medium sized ones. The project is mainly funded by Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) but is also supported by all three prairie provinces by in kind contributions (providing specialist advisors time to assist the offices in getting set up and to develop extension skills). All travel expenses are paid by CIDA.
My job was to work with the extension offices to develop a 5 year business plan and review their 1 year operating plans. A major part of this was to review alternatives for financing extension services - Ukrainian government has made commitments to provide funding but little if anything has happened. The extension offices are looking at alternatives such as applying for international grant programs, partnership arrangements and feed for service. Again to hightlight, no contact with farmers on this trip - worked with extension proffessionals only.
Government issues/confusion still exist there with a main stumbling block lack of progress on land reform. European farmers are starting to set up farms there but again, a slow process/full of risk.
Still lots of confusion/controversy about the size of the 2006 crop. Winter kill was a major factor but spring seeded crops were good. Government is still maintaining tight control over grain licences for internal food security (some would say control) reasons.
Weather was very warm when I was there (as in all of Europe)- temperatures above freezing whole time with highs 5 to 10 C. Winter crops look good in spite of the fact some were seeded late. Interesting to see if they get another cold January/February.
Challenges I could talk about include being grounded by fog at an airport and being forced to take a 6 hour taxi cab ride between cities in the middle of the night only to turn into 8 hours after a flat tire with a jack that didn't work and finally being replaced by a spare that I likely can be glad it was dark/I was not able to see how much (or little) tread was on the tire.
Back again and thought I should provide an update.
The project is to develop extension/farm advisory for 4 provinces/states (oblasts in the Ukraine). An issue that has been identified over time is the need to get agronomic and business management information to small/subsistance farms and to medium sized ones. The project is mainly funded by Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) but is also supported by all three prairie provinces by in kind contributions (providing specialist advisors time to assist the offices in getting set up and to develop extension skills). All travel expenses are paid by CIDA.
My job was to work with the extension offices to develop a 5 year business plan and review their 1 year operating plans. A major part of this was to review alternatives for financing extension services - Ukrainian government has made commitments to provide funding but little if anything has happened. The extension offices are looking at alternatives such as applying for international grant programs, partnership arrangements and feed for service. Again to hightlight, no contact with farmers on this trip - worked with extension proffessionals only.
Government issues/confusion still exist there with a main stumbling block lack of progress on land reform. European farmers are starting to set up farms there but again, a slow process/full of risk.
Still lots of confusion/controversy about the size of the 2006 crop. Winter kill was a major factor but spring seeded crops were good. Government is still maintaining tight control over grain licences for internal food security (some would say control) reasons.
Weather was very warm when I was there (as in all of Europe)- temperatures above freezing whole time with highs 5 to 10 C. Winter crops look good in spite of the fact some were seeded late. Interesting to see if they get another cold January/February.
Challenges I could talk about include being grounded by fog at an airport and being forced to take a 6 hour taxi cab ride between cities in the middle of the night only to turn into 8 hours after a flat tire with a jack that didn't work and finally being replaced by a spare that I likely can be glad it was dark/I was not able to see how much (or little) tread was on the tire.
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