The V International Scientific and Practical Conference on Problems and Prospects of Rural Development in Ukraine is being held in Volyn

22-25 November in the Volyn district center of Shatsk, the V International Scientific and Practical Conference "Problems and Prospects of Rural Development in Ukraine. The Role of Agricultural Advisory Services" is taking place. In addition to domestic specialists, representatives of the embassies of Poland, Germany, and Canada are participating in it, – reported the own correspondent of the Western Information Corporation.

Participants of the international conference – leading specialists in economic issues, heads of advisory services, representatives of public professional associations of the agrarian sector, local authorities and self-government bodies, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and the embassies of Canada, Germany, and Poland.

As noted during a press conference in Lutsk by the president of the National Association of Agricultural Advisory Services, Roman Shmidt, the main expectations placed on the conference are to draw the attention of the government and parliament to specific problems and to show ways of solving them, because "there is no bigger problem than the village."

Confirmation of this came from the words of the chairman of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Agrarian Policy and Land Relations, president of the Association of Farmers and Private Landowners of Ukraine, Ivan Tomych. He, in particular, noted that as a result of non-compliance with the law on support for agricultural production, the rural economy suffered losses of 12-13 billion hryvnias, "for two years there has been speculation around the law on the land cadastre," and protected areas are being sold.

"1990 – the beginning of land reform. Today 2005 is ending. This long road has pushed the peasant away from his greatest value," stated Ivan Fedorovych.

Today, budget support per 1 hectare of land in Ukraine amounts to 33 conventional units, while in Japan – 6,563 conventional units, Switzerland – 2,385 conventional units. "If such state support continues, the village will decline," assured the academician-secretary of the UAAS, vice-president of the National Association of Agricultural Advisory Services of Ukraine, Mykhailo Kropyvko. According to him, at least 17 million hryvnias are needed to support the village, and 24 million hryvnias for its full development.