Grant funding for improving agricultural productivity in Ukraine

Chemonics International, funded by USAID under the “Harvest” project, announces the start of the application process for a competition aimed at improving agricultural productivity, strengthening food security, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices in Ukraine. The program aims to enable men and women engaged in growing grain and oilseed crops to restore production and income from target commodities to at least pre-war levels, while simultaneously increasing production efficiency and profitability, and helping farmers market their crops more effectively and under better conditions. The program is set to provide approximately $1.584 billion in funding through 20-50 grants ranging from $3.96 million to $198 million each.

Grants will be awarded to entities officially registered in Ukraine, including commercial companies, farmer cooperatives, non-governmental organizations, and educational institutions.

Applicants must operate in territory controlled by Ukraine (with a preference for southern and eastern regions) and demonstrate the ability to implement environmentally sound and market-oriented agricultural practices. Preference will be given to companies willing to co-finance the project.

About the Program

The program provides financial support for innovative approaches implemented by agricultural producers to improve agricultural productivity, enhance food security, and promote sustainable farming practices in target regions of Ukraine. The initiative focuses on barley, corn, soybeans, sunflower, and wheat.

The USAID “Harvest” program will collaborate with market participants from both the public and private sectors to achieve the following outcomes:

• Increasing the use of advanced practices
• Increasing the use of improved seed varieties
• Increasing the use of plant protection products (PPP)
• Increasing the use of sustainable long-term irrigation and/or drainage
• Supporting soil decontamination and reclamation

Applicants must propose a strategy for implementing the program’s provisions using innovations and considering their organizational capabilities.

Examples of acceptable initiatives (non-exhaustive list):

• Application of climate-smart technologies that maximize yield
• Promotion of regenerative agriculture (cover crops, crop rotation, conservation tillage)
• Implementation of “conservation tillage” practices and “4R” nutrient management models
• Promotion of pollination by bees for sunflower and soybean production
• Reduction of post-harvest losses through improved storage and drying equipment
• Support for digitalization in agriculture using remote sensors and GPS technology
• Piloting energy-efficient and innovative solutions (e.g., solar panels, food waste recycling)
• Support for access to modern and efficient agricultural equipment and/or maintenance services
• Joint investment in seed production and informal education centers for farmers
• Support for seed supply and demonstration plots
• Facilitation of access to affordable plant protection products (PPP)
• Support for domestic production of plant protection products (PPP)
• Implementation of input resource financing models and bulk procurement of inputs
• Modernization and expansion of irrigation infrastructure
• Coordination with local and international engineering firms for design and oversight
• Joint investment in the installation and training of farmers on operation and maintenance
• Investment in research on soil decontamination methods
• Enhancement of capacity for soil research and fertility assessment
• Documentation and dissemination of best practices for soil decontamination

To participate in the program, applicants must submit a grant project concept (including budget and supporting documentation) in both Ukrainian and English (no more than 5 pages) electronically to ukraineharvestSIF@harvestukraine.com. The email subject should read “APS-2024-001_[Organization Name]_Concept Paper”. The submission deadline is July 4, 2025.

For additional questions, please contact ukraineharvestSIF@harvestukraine.com with the email subject “APS-2024-001_Questions”. Templates for all required documents can be found at the provided link.

We have previously announced the mandatory evacuation of children from three settlements in Donetsk region.