The II Western Ukrainian Eco-Forum, co-organised by the Lvivshchyna Foundation, fulfilled its mission and became a real platform for dialogue between the government and entrepreneurs, exchange of experience and planning of joint actions aimed at developing eco- and organic entrepreneurship in Ukraine.
In total, about 200 entrepreneurs took part in the forum, and 26 manufacturers were represented at the eco-fair.
We heard the opinions of experts, practitioners, businessmen, community leaders and officials. I believe that all of this is necessary to develop a strategy for further cooperation involving all stakeholders in the development of environmentally responsible business.
I am pleased that the forum was attended by well-known, successful businessmen and government officials who know from their own experience all the challenges and benefits of doing eco-business in Ukraine.
I am grateful to Ukrainian MP Stepan Kubiv for his help in raising funds for the drones. He donated several modern coin collections of the National Bank of Ukraine and an anniversary edition of a book about the UPA to the military.
A frank speech by well-known businessman Mykola Kmit clarified the current issues of problems in the dairy industry, in particular in the context of our path to EU membership. Mr Kmit drew attention to the need for government initiatives to support eco-entrepreneurs, in particular to increase subsidies for cow breeding. He also contributed to the fundraising by donating UAH 100,000 and purchasing one of Halyna Prystash’s paintings.
We were able to present successful eco-projects that are expected to be widely successful in the development of communities in Lviv Oblast.
In particular, the audience was interested in the success of the municipal enterprise FruitBank of Mostyska ATC, which, after receiving a grant, established cooperation with local farmers and produces nutritious dry soups and fruit chips, which are popular during the war.
Also of interest are the invitations to investors to cooperate in the environmentally friendly environment of the Borinsky ATC, in particular in the areas of crop cultivation, ecotourism, water management, and mineral water production.
The investment panel aroused great interest among entrepreneurs. For many of them, the opportunity to receive advice and information support on obtaining state and international grants was a revelation.
The speeches of Taras Yeleiko, Head of the Investment Office, and Hanna Kostiuk, an expert on finance and taxation, raised many questions, which were answered constructively and provided useful advice on how to write high-quality projects for business financing.
Summing up the results of the EcoForum, I would like to note that the prospects for eco-business in Ukraine, despite the war, are quite broad and require close cooperation between communities and entrepreneurs, as well as the participation of legislators and local governments.
Holding the EcoForum is important for broad access to information about investment and grant opportunities, for the opportunity to speak out and be heard.
UAH 217,000 was raised during the Second Western Ukrainian Eco-Forum for the UAV unit of the 125th Brigade’s reconnaissance company. Another UAH 160 thousand is needed.
The biggest motivation for the forum’s active work was a live feed from the front line from our soldiers. At the initiative of volunteer Olga Teslyak, the eco-forum was raising funds to provide them with a “flying machine to exterminate pests on our land”.
The military, despite the complexity of their combat missions, are also aware of the environmental problems caused by the war. They are already talking about how these problems can be solved and dreaming about the future reconstruction of Ukraine after the war.
I am sincerely grateful to all the participants and speakers of the eco-forum.