The Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC) held an online round table "U.S. Experience for Ukrainian Seed Production: Innovations and Solutions." The event was joined by 114 participants: agricultural producers and representatives of breeding centers, specialized public associations, seed companies, state authorities, scientific institutions, and higher agricultural education establishments.

The participants of the event discussed the development of climate-adapted seed production, modern breeding solutions, independent testing of varieties and hybrids, as well as the prospects for Ukrainian-American cooperation. The event took place within the framework of a project on the development of strategic partnership in the field of seed production, which the UAC is implementing with the support of the U.S. Government, provided through the AGRO Program.

Opening the round table, the Ukrainian Agri Council Chairman, Andriy Dykun, emphasized that Ukrainian seed production should develop on the basis of scientific approaches and verified data, as is the case in the world's leading agricultural countries.

"In the U.S., I saw a systematic approach to seed production, where behind the decisions of agricultural producers stand science, universities, and many years of practice. Ukrainian seed production also needs to move to this level, since ahead of us lie the challenges of climate change, European integration, and fierce competition on world markets," Andriy Dykun noted.

The Director of the AGRO Program, Kseniia Sydorkina, emphasized the importance of creating conditions under which agricultural producers will be able to make decisions on the choice of seeds based on objective data.

"With the support of the U.S. Government, provided through the AGRO Program, three Regional Centers for Climate-Adapted Seed Production have been established in Ukraine, which are already testing varieties and hybrids in different agro-climatic zones. They help agricultural producers choose solutions that really work in their conditions," Kseniia Sydorkina noted.

The main part of the event was devoted to the implementation of the work developed during the visit of the Ukrainian delegation to the U.S., as well as cooperation between the UAC and the Iowa State University Seed Science Center for the development of Ukrainian seed production.

The coordinator of the UAC seed production development project, Oleksandr Valebnyi, presented the interim results of the project and shared conclusions after studying the American experience. According to him, one of the key areas of work is expanding cooperation with American seed companies, adapting modern breeding solutions to the agro-climatic conditions of Ukraine, and creating a system of independent testing and dissemination of objective information about varieties and hybrids for agricultural producers.

"The results of the study conducted by the UAC showed that 38.5% of agricultural producers lost part of their harvest due to the wrong choice of variety or hybrid or low seed quality. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of independent information and regional data needed to make well-grounded decisions," Oleksandr Valebnyi emphasized.

He also reported that, within the framework of the project, work is ongoing on the SeedVision Global digital platform, which will make it possible to systematize and disseminate the results of variety and hybrid trials obtained in different regions of Ukraine.

Lulu Rodriguez, head of global programs at the Iowa State University Seed Science Center (U.S.), presented the Center's activities and outlined promising areas of cooperation with Ukrainian partners. The participants got acquainted with American approaches to ensuring seed quality and safety, developing scientific research, and implementing innovations in the seed production sector.

Jerry Flint, President of Acuity Consulting, LLC, and an international expert on the development of the agricultural sector and seed production, presented a vision for the future of Ukraine's seed industry, focusing on modern breeding technologies, the adaptation of crops to climate change, the digitalization of the industry, and the reforms needed to increase the competitiveness of Ukrainian seed production on the international market.

The round table was a continuation of the series of events for Ukrainian agricultural producers that the UAC holds within the framework of the project on the development of strategic partnership in the field of seed production. The goal of these events is to provide agricultural producers with access to modern knowledge, international experience, and objective information needed for choosing varieties and hybrids adapted to the agro-climatic conditions of Ukraine.