Since August last year, Ukrainian farmers and processors have been able to obtain certification under the Ukrainian law on organic farming. The Food Safety Agency (FSA) of the Ukrainian oblasts play an important role in controlling these organic farms. In order to support the representatives of the consumer protection authorities in this task, the "German-Ukrainian Cooperation in Organic Farming (COA)" project held a second, multi-day practical training on organic farms in the first week of July. The COA project is financed by the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
For security reasons, the training was held this time in the Republic of Moldova. FSA-representatives from 13 oblasts from all over Ukraine and Anna Yermak from the FSA-headquarter in Kyiv traveled together to the event. Marina Ilusca from the Moldovan Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and Tatjana Golban from the Moldovan Food Safety Agency were also present throughout the training. The Republic of Moldova also has its own law on organic farming, for which these Moldovan authorities are responsible.
The group was trained by Ksenia Guliyeva, Oksana Motrynchuk, Elisabeth Rüegg and Dr. Stefan Dreesmann. All of these trainers have many years of experience in certification and control in organic farming. An organic farm, an organic mill and a large organic grain trader were chosen in Moldova for the practical training. Practical control was presented and practiced on these sites. In addition, various aspects of control in organic farming were covered in more depth theoretically.
"I am very pleased that this second training was also carried out so successfully," said Dr. Stefan Dreesmann, head of the "German-Ukrainian Cooperation in Organic Farming" project. "We have just had some very intensive days, during which the understanding of what to look out for during organic inspections by the Ukrainian authorities has grown. I would like to thank all participants in this training: the three Moldovan organic farms, the organic farming association MOVCA from Moldova, which supported us with many organizational matters, the experienced team of trainers, the translators and especially the participants from FSA from the Ukrainian oblasts, who, thanks to their great engagement, once again contributed greatly to the successful conduct of this training," continued Dr. Dreesmann. "I am also very pleased that two official representatives of the Moldovan authorities responsible for organic farming accompanied the training throughout and that there was an intensive exchange of ideas between the Ukrainian and Moldovan authorities and the project," continued Dr. Dreesmann.
A third training course for the representatives of the Ukrainian FSA is planned for late autumn, in which the specialist knowledge acquired will be further deepened.
