Swisscontact Ukraine Leads the Way in Strengthening Women's Agricultural Entrepreneurship  

Bringing together participants, including government representatives, international organizations, private sector leaders, and agricultural entrepreneurs, the event focused on the challenges and opportunities for women-led agribusinesses in Ukraine. 

The discussion focused on women farmers and cooperatives in Ukraine and explored ways to strengthen resilience through better access to funding, professional development, and industry-wide collaboration. In addition, the participants discussed the immense role of Swiss-supported projects in Ukraine’s recovery, providing resources to accelerate progress. Stakeholders emphasized that lasting change requires collective action to empower women in agriculture and build a more inclusive sector.

Poshan B KC, Country Director of Swisscontact Ukraine, highlighted that empowering woman in agriculture is not just about economic growth but also about strengthening communities and resilience. He stressed the importance of experience exchange and skills development, especially for rural women, and expressed hope that the roundtable would lead to practical solutions and long-term partnerships to support women entrepreneurs in Ukraine.  

Olena Glazunova, Vice-Rector of NUBiP of Ukraine, emphasized the importance of entrepreneurial skills development for women and noted that many Ukrainian women successfully lead businesses despite existing stereotypes.  

A key milestone of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between Swisscontact and the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, reinforcing our shared commitment to advancing vocational education and entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector. 

The roundtable showcased the active participation of Swiss businesses and Swiss Cooperation-funded projects that play a crucial role in strengthening Ukraine’s agricultural resilience. 

Bühler Ukraine, represented by its General Director Andriy Sharan, emphasized the company’s commitment to global food security. He also highlighted Bühler's active involvement in socio-economic development programs in Ukraine and its support for Swisscontact initiatives.  

Syngenta Ukraine, represented by Svitlana Choni, discussed the need for gender-transformative approaches in fostering women's entrepreneurship in agriculture. The company operates a research center in Ukraine with a focus on supporting women entrepreneurs. 

Additionally, three major Swiss-funded programs contributed to the discussions: QFTP (Quality Food Trade Program), Mercy Corps’ Economic Resilience Program (ERP) in Ukraine, and the IFC-implemented project "Expanding Access to Capital Markets for Ukraine’s Agribusiness Sector."