How to provide the world with ukrainian food was discussed at the Grain Ukraine conference

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support

05 June 2024

On May 30-31, USAID Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA) and 14 of USAID ERA’s agri-exporting partners took part in the 9th annual Grain Ukraine International Conference in Kyiv. The theme this year was “Grain in the Time of Chaos” and participants focused on finding new ways (political, economic, and logistical) to promote Ukrainian agribusiness on the global market.

USAID ERA’s Supply Chain and Expert Logistics Lead, Thomas O’Callaghan and AGRI Private Partnerships Relations Specialist, Elvira Aleksyeyeva attended to meet with partners to understand the latest market trends.

The conference focused on reviewing global trends which influence Ukrainian exports to the global market, the prospect of EU integration, the challenges of the war, and creative solutions to tough logistical problems.

Petr Krogman, the owner of Agromino—USAID ERA’s partner—and President of the Czech-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, spoke on a panel discussion citing challenges Agromino faces during the war and ways to overcome the regional imbalance. Mr. Krogman had just come from Kharkiv Oblast, where Agromino had just sowed their fields for the season. Mr. Krogman noted that

“We sow to preserve economic life in these regions. It is necessary for the border regions to survive.”

Unfortunately, businesses like Agromino, operating in Kharkiv Oblast are severely disadvantaged. Overall, the average cost of production on fields on the eastern boarder are 40-50% higher than in the western regions of Ukraine. Many agricultural areas are now militarized zones and unfit for use and companies face additional costs to demine their land. Mr. Krogman believes that incentives and compensation programs from the government can significantly help companies continue to work near the contact line.

Another USAID ERA partner feeling the heat of the war is Nibulon. On a panel, Mykhailo Rizak, Nibulon’s Director of Interaction with Authorities discussed the negative impact of legislative changes on Nibulon’s land bank. He continued by explaining how Nibulon is reviving mined land back to a safe field suitable for cultivation and he emphasized the need to demine water areas to ensure the safety of sea vessels.

Moreover, USAID ERA’s partner Kernel, represented by Oleksandr Golovin, Commercial Director spoke about the importance of the Black Sea on a panel. Mr. Oleksandr also predicted the next marketing year will be the manufacturer’s year.

Looking forward, USAID ERA’s partner Ukrainian Grain Trading Company (UGTC) emphasized training programs which will help future businesses. UGTC’s co-owner, Serhiy Verenkiotov, was grateful for the equipment USAID provides but stressed the significance of developing labor potential at the conference.

Similarly, Kateryna Rusina, the owner USAID ERA’s partner Ascet Shipping, is looking forward to create future reliable business connections at the Grain Ukraine conference.

Assistance to agricultural producers and infrastructure companies is part of the Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) – Ukraine, implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It aims to help Ukraine increase its capacity to produce, store, transport, and export grain. 

USAID Enhances Almeida Group’s Grain Export Capacity

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support

20 May 2024

USAID, through its Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), delivered 25 grain wagons to the Almeida Group, a rail freight and truck logistics provider in Ukraine, to increase its grain export capacity.

Almeida Group will use the wagons to transport grains to the company’s terminals on Ukraine’s western border, in Zakarpattia Lviv and Chernivtsi Oblasts, where it transships grains and oilseeds from wide gauge wheelsets (1535 mm) with European gauge wheelsets (1420 mm), as well as to the ports in Odesa and Izmail (Odesa Oblast).

The full-scale war has fundamentally changed the company’s operations. Until February 2022, Almeida Group had two elevators in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and was one of the largest shippers in the region. After Russia’s invasion in 2022, the company lost all its production facilities, significantly impacting its business. However, Almeida Group managed to relocate almost the entire team from the temporarily occupied territories and, in May 2022, opened a new transshipment terminal in Chernivtsi Oblast. Later, it also opened two more terminals in Lviv and Zakarpattia Oblasts. Currently, Almeida Group is building a multimodal terminal in Chernivtsi Oblast, which will increase both the quantity and variety of export cargo.

Background: Assistance to agricultural producers and infrastructure companies is part of the Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) – Ukraine, implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It aims to help Ukraine increase its capacity to produce, store, transport, and export grain.

Agricultural companies’ mechanics are learning to maintain industrial generators

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support

17 May 2024

13 mechanical engineers and electricians from 4 Ukrainian agricultural companies—partners of USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA)—took a maintenance training course on industrial generators with a 2000 kW capacity. The training took place in April at Ostroh Higher Vocational School in the generator repair and maintenance laboratory. The training was organized by the International Foundation of Development with the support of USAID ERA.

The training included an online course accompanied by a practical generator testing section in the laboratories. This knowledge will help professionals properly maintain generators during power outages caused by Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

“At Baryshivka Grain Company, we have five generators that require maintenance and proper operation to ensure uninterrupted production processes at the elevator. The training helps us in maintain these units. Also, it would be interesting to attend lectures on grain dryers and transportation equipment at the elevator,” said Konstiantyn Kovalenko, an Engineer at LLC Baryshivka Grain Company.

Recently, USAID ERA purchased 10 high-capacity diesel generators for 6 agricultural companies in Ukraine. This will help to maintain all company operations, including grain transshipment, storage, and loading into wagons or trailers, even during blackouts.

AR Boryspil hosts visitors while increasing agricultural exports during the war

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support

16 May 2024

AR BORYSPIL HOSTS VISITORS WHILE INCREASING AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS DURING THE WAR

On May 14, agricultural exporter AR Boryspil in Kyiv Oblast hosted a tour of their facilities for Mark T. McCord, Senior Director of DAI’s Eastern Europe Regional Portfolio, Daniel Schmidt, DAI’s Deputy Chief Ethics & Integrity Officer, and staff at USAID Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA). The visitors had the opportunity to see USAID funded equipment and learn how the company continues to export grain during the war.

AR Boryspil has a full cycle of equipment for receiving, storing, drying, and shipping grain crops. On the tour, the visitors started by seeing how the grain from trucks come into the facility and are analyzed. Analysis is mandatory and shows the quality of grain, its moisture content, waste and grain impurities, and the GMO content. Anastasia Tytarenko, Director of Grain Quality Control, analyzed the incoming corn from the truck in the laboratory which takes up to 20 minutes. The laboratory also forms composite samples for the further transfer to the independent GAFTA laboratory, which determines if heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, toxic elements, radionuclides, etc. are present. All these results allow AR Boryspil to ensure that the grain can be safely exported.

Walking around the facilities, guests saw how grain is stored in elevators and loaded into USAID funded grain wagons for further export. To increase the export capacity of AR Boryspil, USAID ERA purchased 25 grain wagons. USAID’s assistance enabled AR Boryspil to raise its own funds and invest in an additional 15 wagons, bringing their total wagon count to 40 grain wagons.

“Our fleet of 40 grain wagons will allow us to increase exports of grain by at least 60,000 tons per year. The support of international partners is important for our company, and we are ready to jointly invest in new projects to develop Ukraine’s export potential. Today, we evaluate not only investments in logistics, but also other projects—expansion of elevators, oil processing, biogas, and dairy farms.” – says Taras Ivanyshyn, Investments Director of Agro-Region.

Furthermore, USAID provided truck scales which reduce loading and unloading times and ensure accurate cargo weight. About 100 farmers selling grain to AR Boryspil, use these scales free of charge. Recently, USAID ERA delivered two powerful generators, which together with Agro-Region’s existing generators, will help maintain the autonomous operation of the elevator (storing, drying, and shipping) even in blackouts.

AR Boryspil’s biggest challenge now is the military conscription. As of now, 34 workers have joined the military. Woman have filled in some of the gaps and AR Boryspil also invests resources in training additional workers who will be able to replace those mobilized.

By 2022, Agro-Region exported an average of 250,000-300,000 tons of grain per year and is trying to increase the level of exports. Since April 2024, when Agro-Region received 25 wagons from USAID ERA, the cost of logistics decreased by 25% from the market price.

AR Boryspil LLC is part of the Agro-Region Group, a group of 11 companies growing grain and oil crops in Ukraine. Agro-Region is a group of agricultural companies that cultivates 40,000 hectares of agricultural land in Chernihiv, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv and Zhytomyr oblasts. It has three elevators in Boryspil, Myropol and Zavorychi with a total storage capacity of about 160,000 tons. The company grows corn, wheat, rapeseed, soybeans, barley, sunflower and oats.

USAID ERA assists ukrainian wagon manufacturer

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support

14 May 2024

The Experimental and Mechanical Plant “Karpaty” (EMP Karpaty) produced 190 grain hopper wagons for USAID Economic Resilience Activity’s (USAID ERA) beneficiaries. USAID ERA transfers these wagons to agro-exporters, who facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain during the war and contribute to strengthening global food security.

In 2023, USAID ERA requested, 50 factory manufactured wagons for Nibulon from Karpaty. This year, USAID ERA ordered 300 wagons, Karpaty is currently manufacturing for other grain export partners. This order is 45% annual orders to Karpaty.

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, the demand for grain wagons has significantly increased. Due to Russia’s attempts to block sea and river ports, agro-exporters have redirected logistical routes and now transport grain by rail to European Union countries. This requires hopper wagons, which are sealed to prevent moisture contamination (rain or snow). One wagon can carry up to 70 tons of grain.

Karpaty manufactures 3 wagons per day. Turners, welders, millers, metal cutters, painters, and many other specialists work on their production line.

During the war, Karpaty has faced many staffing shortages as their employees joined the military. Roles that were formerly held by men are now being partially occupied by women. Moreover, automation increased and automated welding machine were introduced, significantly boosting the company’s mechanization in the production facilities.

One grain wagon weighs 23.5 tons. Most of the components are Ukrainian produced, such as the wagon axle, railway wheel, side frame, bolster beam, part of the draw and buffing gear, brake equipment, and other details. However, the steel used for the body is imported from other parts of Europe. By using component parts manufactured in Ukraine, EMP Karpaty supports the local economy.

“Now, during the full-scale invasion, orders for grain hopper wagons make up 75% of our workload. Thanks to the USAID ERA last year, we received an order and completed it on time. We manufactured 50 wagons, ensuring 650 of our employees had work and received salaries. As a business, we also promptly paid taxes to budgets at various levels. This is one example of how international aid influences the Ukrainian economy,” says Oleksandra Badior, Marketing Director at EMP Karpaty.

Ukrainian wagon manufacturers face supply chain issues, mostly steel products, during the war because some components were previously sourced from Russia or Ukrainian enterprises which are now destroyed by Russian aggressors. The main issue is steel–thick sheets and profiled steel–which were manufactured at the metallurgical plants of Ilyich and Azovstal in Mariupol, Donetsk region, now occupied. In 2022, Karpaty looked for an alternative solution. Eventually, 95% of each wagon now consists of products from Ukrainian manufacturers.

Currently, EMP Karpaty has orders to fill until August 2024. In addition to grain wagons, Karpaty produces cement wagons and carriers, which will be very important for restoring critical infrastructure and housing in Ukraine.

In 2023, all three of the wagon manufacturing factories in Ukraine produced a combined total of 1967 wagons. EMP Karpaty was the leader, manufacturing 567 wagons for the Ukrainian market, 5% more than in 2022. Today, Karpaty employs over 650 people.

USAID ERA is one of the key partners of USAID, which implements the Agricultural Sustainability Initiative of Ukraine (“AGRI-Ukraine”), budgeted at $350 million. This initiative was launched in 2022 with the aim of strengthening Ukrainian agricultural exports and mitigating the global food security crisis exacerbated by the war. As part of the “AGRI-Ukraine” initiative, USAID ERA cooperates with state and private enterprises to supplement and attract investments in transportation and transshipment of grain, which Ukraine desperately needs.

AGRI International Market Linkages Senior Coordinator

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support

10 May 2024

Kyiv / Lviv / Odesa

ERA BACKGROUND

Ukraine’s efforts to win the future – emerging from Russia’s full-scale war ready to accelerate its development as a sovereign, independent, democratic, and prosperous state – require a dynamic, inclusive economic recovery. Through partnerships with the government and robust private sector engagement, ERA has supported economic growth and resilience in Ukraine since 2018. Following Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent occupation of the part of Ukraine, ERA shifted from its focus on Eastern Ukraine to cover development priorities across the country that address Ukraine’s urgent needs in export logistics and infrastructural improvements.

AGRI-UKRAINE GRAIN EXPORT LOGISTICS

USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) is one of USAID’s core partners implementing the $350 million Agriculture Resilience Initiative – Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine) that was established in 2022 to bolster Ukrainian agricultural exports and alleviate the global food security crisis exacerbated by the war. Under AGRI-Ukraine, ERA partners with public and private companies to complement and leverage urgently-needed grain transportation and transshipment investments.

INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS

ERA also directly supports the Government of Ukraine, including the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), the State Customs Service and Ukrainian Railways, to upgrade 42 of Ukraine’s border crossing points (BCPs). Modern and more efficient border infrastructure and customs procedures will reduce export costs and increase export capacity, enabling Ukraine to scale trade and advance its path to EU integration.

About the job

The AGRI International Market Linkages Senior Coordinator is responsible for developing international trade market linkages, knowledge transfer solutions and capacity development, as well as coordinating AGRI International Market Linkages interventions with the Export, Technical and Operations teams to ensure they are implemented according to schedule, with attention to detail, and to a high standard of quality, as well as for monitoring and reporting on their progress. The AGRI International Market Linkages Senior Coordinator is based in Kyiv / Lviv / Odesa and reports to the AGRI Component Director or designate.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Market Linkages Development – Market Outreach, Organizing International Trade Visits & Developing Marketing Materials:

Gather, research, finalize, and regularly update data in USAID ERA’s Market Linkages database.
Develop customized marketing materials designed for publication and distributed inside Ukraine and internationally to stakeholders in the agricultural commodity global marketplace.
Work with agricultural export stakeholders in Ukraine to help develop three marketing partnerships that will facilitate international trade in the most cost-efficient manner recognizing current logistical challenges. Liaise and nurture relationships with international buyers of Ukrainian commodities in select markets.
Lead the organization for USAID ERA beneficiaries and participate in multiple international trade shows and events to maximize market linkage opportunities.

Market Know-How Development – Stakeholder Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer:

Communicate with, understand and be responsive to stakeholder needs in relation to demands for international trade applicable training programs, with particular focus on supply chain development, and commodity sales and marketing (specifically targeting MENA and EU markets).
Work with AGRI Export team members to select suitable training and education programs that will impact stakeholders needs and enable them to be more competitive.
Help select training and education implementation partners where it is most needed
Assist to pre-select suitable candidates for designated training programs.
Coordinate with other USAID ERA teams to help organize training, education, and knowledge transfer events which may be conducted on-line, in-person inside Ukraine or in-person outside Ukraine.
Schedule and promote programs/courses that are certified to ensure participation optimization.

Monitoring Evaluation and Learning: in coordination with the MEL Team:

Support the MEL team in conducting data collection to report against AGRI performance indicators.
Coordinate and analyze data to measure project impact and outcomes.
Support identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned for organizational sharing and learning.

Communication: in coordination with the Communications Team:

Contribute to written progress updates for communications and strategic program management.
Facilitate the organization of public events, trade missions visits, and work in close coordination with Admin/Logistics/Communications to make all necessary arrangements.

Other:

Collect and provide weekly written progress updates to the supervisor and team as required.
Review and analyze market reports to ensure clear and timely information is provided to management for prompt decision-making.
Maintain accurate project documentation and records.
Prepare accurate and timely field reports and other project documentation as required.
Keep respective activity records in the DAI corporate system (TAMIS).
Collaborate with other departments and teams to ensure alignment with overall goals and objectives.
Assist with ad hoc English-Ukrainian/other translation / interpretation when requested.
Where required monitor procurement and delivery progress and ensure that activities are aligned with the USAID ERA plans and performance indicators.

About you

Bachelor degree or higher in Project Management, Economics, Business/Public Administration, Sales and Marketing, or related fields.
Minimum five years (5) years of experience supporting sales and marketing or project coordination or management with an international organization is required.
Proficiency in office software applications (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.)
Excellent professional communications and negotiation skills and who can relate to people at all levels of an organization.
Ability to work independently and in close cooperation with a team remotely.
An energetic, thinking-forward, and creative individual with high ethical standards and an appropriate professional image.
An extremely well-organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus with ability to plan and meet deadlines.
Multitask and manage a variety of tasks and initiatives simultaneously.
Experience working in teams is a plus, as the successful candidate may be asked to manage a team in the future.
The successful candidate must hold a valid passport and have permission to travel freely in Ukraine and out of Ukraine to potentially attend international trade and marketing related events as needed.
Fluent English and Ukrainian communication skills, both oral and written. Fluency in any other international languages relevant to the target geographies of AGRI’s international trade initiatives is a plus (e.g. Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Italian or Spanish).

WE OFFER

Contract length: 12-month employment agreement with a possibility of extension.

Benefits Package:

28 calendar days of annual leave
10 days of internal well-being paid leave per annum
Medical Insurance for ERA staff and their families
Life Insurance for ERA staff
Coverage of all expenses for the business trips
Military reservation is possible and granted if you are on a relevant military register

Start date: June 2024

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English to ukraine@dai.com

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.

Closing date for applications: May 25, 2024.

Find more about USAID ERA on DAI.com.