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21 April 2005, Roman Korinets, expert of the Institute for Rural Development and editor-in-chief of the journal “Rural Development Aspects” attended the meeting of Head of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Lytvyn with representatives from agricultural sector NGOs.
The meeting was focused on the ways to resolve problems rather than identify them. In particular, V. Lytvyn stressed the need in definition of priority documents for the Parliament to pass in the nearest future in order to facilitate agro-industrial production in Ukraine.
V. Lytvyn said it was “not a simple decision” to introduce changes in the Customs Code of Ukraine related to tariff rates for importers of agricultural produce, as it is necessary to ensure profitability conditions for domestic agricultural producers.
According to the speaker, the search of real solutions is possible subject to unity of state power bodies in Ukraine. V. Lytvyn expressed his conviction that this issue would be a key subject-matter of the All-Ukraine local self-government representatives’ meeting that will take place on 26 April 2005.
In this context, Head of Parliamentary Committee on Agrarian Policy and Land Relations Ivan Tomych stated that agrarian NGOs are most interested in the dialogue with all state power branches.
Ivan Tomych mentioned that this Supreme Rada had passed 45 bills aimed at the Agro-Industrial Complex development, including family farms’ development and meeting of needs of those working in the agricultural sector.
At the same time, I.Tomych stressed the problem of inadequate state financial support to ensure implementation of the passed laws. In his opinion, it is necessary to assure legislative resolution of the issue of support to be given to domestic producers suffering from subpurchasers and dealers. The Committee Head considers that participatory development of agricultural market infrastructure will be a key solution.
He said another significant problem was the resolution of land use issues, in particular, provision of an instrument to ensure private ownership right for farmers.
Agrarian NGOs consider that the third acute problem is human resources for countryside, development of agricultural science and education. “Without these, the development of our agro-industrial complex is highly unlikely in the 21 century”, said ².Tomych.
In conclusion, he stressed the necessity to develop a well-balanced, agricultural producer-focused policy in order to ensure their rights at Ukraine’s accession to WTO.
Summing up, V. Lytvyn emphasized the need of a national agro-industrial policy concept to be shaped jointly by the Parliament and agrarian NGOs for the next several years. Participants supported V. Lytvyn’s proposal to set up a permanent council under the Head of Supreme Rada to work out this document.
Minister of Agrarian Policy Oleksandr Baranivskiy and Adviser to President Leonid Kozachenko also attended the meeting.
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