In Ukrainian

Recorded video Slides Program Participants Presenters Proceedings Resolution

Media partners

30 of September - 4 of October 2023

Free online research and practice conference

Conference aims: 

• Connecting of all Ukrainian actors in the field of restoration of agricultural landscapes (scientists, national and international non-governmental organizations, government initiatives). Including presentations from young scientists (poster section)
• Presentation of the main national and international ongoing and planned restoration projects of Ukrainian agricultural landscapes
• Defining main scenarios of agricultural landscapes restoration after military activities, strategies for choosing scenarios, and delivery of scientific and expert recommendations in the form of conference resolutions to the main Ukrainian and international organizations active in restoring Ukrainian agricultural landscapes.
• Facilitating networking between Ukrainian and international researchers
• Facilitating participation of farmers and communities participants in research and pilot projects on land restoration
• Establishing research team for scenario development on the use of agroforestry in restoration projects
• Promoting of German-Ukrainian educational cooperation (see the current InnoBioDiv course and last year's Autumn School in Agroecology and Urban Agriculture)

More details:

Since 24 of February 2022, military activities following the large-scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukrainian territory lead to degradation of agricultural landscapes affecting 20-30 % of Ukrainian territory and 182 900 km2 (during the first 8 months) of arable soil. Main ecosystem damage include soil and water pollution (including Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Hg, Сu, Ni, Zn, W), soil compaction, breaking soil structure and reducing its water holding capacities, mixing and rotating soil layers, creation of craters, increased erosion and desertification, damage to soil life, regional fauna, and natural and semi-natural vegetation that increases effects of droughts and frosts and detrimental impact of climate change on agriculture. Consolidated actions of Ukrainian and international researchers and experts are needed to designing strategies for restoring agricultural landscape with the aims of increasing their multifunctionality and agroecosystem service provisioning capacities, promoting agroecological transition and support small, medium, and family farming, regionalizing green energy production, protecting and increase biodiversity. 

Our conference will promote the use of agroforestry, cultivation of bioenergy crops in diversified systems, and the application of microbial biopreparations for accelerated bioremediation, for transition to regenerative and carbon farming, and for increasing regional environmental resilience and economic and energy self-sufficiency. Prioritizing these solutions which are in line to major agrifood strategies in Germany and in the EU is not only important for the European integration of Ukraine, but also for (over)compensating detrimental effects of military activities on carbon emission (31 mln t during the first 7 month) and carbon sequestration (3 mln ha of affected forests).

The aim of our conference is to facilitate knowledge exchange and networking between Ukrainian, German, and international researchers and experts and to present approaches and tools for  sustainable landscape restoration to the range of  institutions and initiatives involved in the restoration projects in Ukraine.

 Funders and organizers:

German-Ukrainian-US research and practice conference was supported by the Kölner Gymnasial- und Stiftungsfonds and German-Ukrainian Cooperation in Organic Agriculture. 

Co-organizers:

• Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)
• NGO "Permaculture in Ukraine"
• Open International University of Human Development "Ukraine"

In partnership with Together for Ukraine Foundation.

Contacts

I.W.Kazakova(et)gmail.com
+380 99 541 2778 (Viber, WhatsApp, Signal) Iryna Kazakova