The final monitoring of the grant project "Development of organic berry growing in united territorial communities", which was implemented with the support of Switzerland within the framework of the "Organic trade for development in Eastern Europe" (OT4D) program, implemented by IFOAM - Organics International in partnership with HELVETAS Swiss, took place Intercooperation and Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland).

The project was implemented during 2023-2024 by a consortium consisting of "Organic Life" (Germany), "RSN Trade" (Ukraine), the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (NUWEE), the Pryvilne Lyceum on the territory of the Koretsk, Hoshchansk, Ostroh and Pryvilne communities.

The goal of the project is to unite the communities of the Rivne region, educators, scientists, and agricultural producers around the idea of ​​introducing organic agriculture technologies.

Teachers from NUWEE ( the department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science and Agriculture named after S. Vozniuk) participated in the implementation of the project.

Within the framework of the project, a number of activities related to the dissemination of knowledge about organic agricultural production were implemented. In particular, a course on organic berry growing was developed, theoretical and practical training was conducted for farmers and interested community representatives in the development of organic berry growing. The participants of the training course received organic raspberry seedlings to grow on their own plots. An educational and research plot for the cultivation of agricultural crops according to organic technology has been established. A circle on ecological agriculture was created. Cooperation between the Pryvilne Lyceum and the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering in the field of specialized education and scientific support of the demo field has been established.

The small tractor and the LASA AGRO 1900 (a mobile laboratory) purchased as part of the project, which provides the possibility of high-precision express analyzes of soil and water directly at the place of growing plants, became important components that allowed to combine theory and practice, education and science, educational institutions and business, as well as arrangement of a place for an organic farming at the National University of Water  and Environmental Engineering.

As part of the project "Development of organic berry growing in territorial communities of the Rivne region", 15 hectares in the Ostroh district were certified for growing organic raspberries. Thanks to the project, it was also possible to build a workshop for quick freezing of berries.

An interesting project experience of cooperation between business, territorial communities, education and science will become the basis of the following joint projects.

Alla KUCHEROVA,
Department of Agrochemistry,
Soil Science and Agriculture