By KYIV. Nov 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The USAID’s Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities Activity (AGRO) programme will provide UAH 18.2 million in co-financing for the integration of veterans into agriculture, the programme announced on Facebook.
“Obtaining a new specialty or acquiring business skills that take into account the characteristics and skills of veterans will facilitate their return to civilian life. This will also help reduce labor shortages, especially in the agricultural sector, which arose due to military operations. Successful integration and work of veterans in the agricultural sector will not only allow starting a new life, but will also strengthen the country’s economy,” the organization said.
According to the report, a competition has been announced for two or three projects with co-financing in the range of UAH 6-9 million for each with the aim of developing and implementing effective models for integrating veterans into the country’s agricultural sector. The projects are designed to promote the employment of veterans in agriculture, for example, through advanced training, retraining for further employment, as well as the development of self-employment, starting and expanding/restoring their own business in the agricultural sector.
It is expected that project implementers will be able to combine both expertise in the agricultural sector and experience working with veterans and established relationships with the veteran community. Therefore, to implement this task, several partner organizations with experience, for example, in the agricultural sector and the field of training and employment of veterans, can unite.
“The result of such cooperation should be developed integration models for both training veterans and potential employers in agriculture, as well as examples of successful employment of veterans in agricultural enterprises or the self-employed in the agricultural sector,” USAID said.
Ukrainian non-governmental and private enterprises, except for individual entrepreneurs, can take part in the competition.
To participate in the pre-registration online seminar, one should register before November 14. The application deadline is December 4, 2023.
