Under the guiding theme, “Partnership for a Resilient Agricultural Sector,” the German-Ukrainian Agricultural Entrepreneurs Forum took place on May 19 at the headquarters of DLG (German Agricultural Society) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
The event brought together Ukrainian and German entrepreneurs, association representatives, international financing experts and policymakers for exchange. The forum was organized by DLG in cooperation with the industry association Ukrainian Agri Council within the framework of the German-Ukrainian Agri-Policy Dialogue (APD UA). The aim of the forum was to initiate and strengthen business partnerships across the entire agrifood value chain and to overcome potential reservations regarding Ukraine’s accession to the EU in both countries through direct interaction and knowledge exchange.
“In Ukraine, there is a highly efficient agricultural sector, despite war and ongoing threats. Ukraine can become a powerhouse of agriculture within the EU,” said DLG President Hubertus Paetow. “EU integration of Ukraine is without alternative and must be accelerated.”
The German-Ukrainian Entrepreneurs Forum 2026 was organized for the first time by DLG within the APD UA framework, with the support of the Ukrainian Agri Council. DLG contributed its international networking expertise and in-depth knowledge of the agrifood sector to bring industry representatives from both countries together on equal footing.
The APD UA has been supporting Ukraine in the modernization of its agricultural sector since 2006 and is accompanying the country in its preparations for EU accession. Commissioned and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Regional Identity (BMLEH), the APD UA has been implemented in its new project phase since the beginning of 2026 by a consortium that includes DLG Markets GmbH, an organiser of international trade fairs, events and cooperation projects.
The main objective of the forum was to promote concrete investments and business cooperation between the two countries. Another key focus was to raise awareness of each country’s strengths through knowledge exchange.
Dairy sector, renewable energy and financing
The forum highlighted, through practical business examples, how Ukraine demonstrates strong innovative capacity under challenging conditions and where mutual learning opportunities exist for both markets.
Three sectors were in focus:
Dairy sector
Andriy Dykun, President of the Ukrainian Agri Council, pointed out that 10 of Ukraine’s 24 regions are directly affected by the ongoing Russian war of aggression since February 2022, regions accounting for 42% of the country’s milk production.
Despite damages exceeding US$8.7 billion, Ukraine remains a net exporter of dairy products. Kees Huizinga, CEO of Kischenzi Dairy Farm, presented his company, which has continued to develop into a modern training center for the Ukrainian dairy sector even during wartime, training more than 1,000 specialists.
Renewable energy
Oleksandr Chumak from Michurina+ demonstrated how his 3,300-hectare farm achieved full energy self-sufficiency through a smart microgrid, combining 410 kWp photovoltaic capacity with battery storage.
The system was initially a response to power outages caused by the war, but has since reduced energy costs by a factor of five. Georgii Geletukha, Bioenergy Association of Ukraine (UABIO), added that Ukraine has the highest biomethane potential of all European countries (up to 21.8 billion cubic meters per year). In 2025, Ukrainian biomethane was exported to Germany for the first time.
Financing
Dr. Holger Kray from the World Bank presented the ARISE program, which has supported more than 13,300 agricultural enterprises worldwide with concessional loans, covering 12.8 million hectares of farmland and mobilizing US$4 billion in private capital.
Caspar von Alvensleben from Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank, Germany’s development agency for agribusiness and rural areas, introduced the German development bank model as a potential blueprint for establishing similar financing structures in Ukraine.
