Lutsk, Ukraine, 26 September 2024 – A scientific compendium with information on implementing sustainable peatland management or paludiculture in Ukraine has been presented at an event in the western Ukrainian city of Lutsk.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, in partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and experts from the Succow Foundation (Germany), presented the new compendium, titled “Paludiculture: EU Experience and Prospects for Implementation in Ukraine” as part of the project “Promoting Sustainable Livestock Management and Ecosystem Conservation in Northern Ukraine.” 

The compendium is the first in Ukraine to provide comprehensive information on paludiculture (the cultivation of crops and livestock on waterlogged soils) as a sustainable land use practice, as already implemented in EU member states. It also offers recommendations on applying paludiculture practices on restored peatlands using environmentally friendly approaches that are also economically viable.

The presentation event in Lutsk brought together over 100 participants, including farmers, representatives of the agribusiness sector, local communities, the scientific community, and civil society from Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia, and Chernihiv oblasts.

During the presentation, experts discussed Ukraine's international commitments to peatland conservation and restoration, the challenges of drained peatlands, and the importance of their restoration and the adoption of paludiculture practices in Ukraine. They also assessed the potential of the livestock sector to implement sustainable paludiculture practices and the critical role of peatland restoration in preventing wildfires.

The restoration and preservation of natural ecosystems, including peatlands – many of which have been drained over the past hundred years – are also essential for Ukraine's reconstruction and should be carried out in line with national climate goals and the European Green Deal.

Roman Shakhmatenko, the team leader of UNDP in Ukraine’s Energy and Environment Portfolio, noted that the successful implementation of sustainable practices in Ukraine requires institutional capacity from the state, the support of farmers, and collaboration with international partners to adapt European experience to Ukrainian conditions. 

"We understand that the implementation of sustainable practices in Ukraine is a long-term process, which may only become economically beneficial in the long run,” Shakhmatenko said. “However, this approach will allow the restoration of natural ecosystems for the benefit of communities and contribute to achieving Ukraine's green recovery goals.”

“It’s important to draw on successful examples from other countries to support this process. To ensure that sustainable practices become an integral part of production and daily activities, it is crucial to provide stakeholders with comprehensive information and a clear understanding of how these practices work and what results they will deliver. We hope that the experience of other countries, as presented in the compendium, will serve as a guide for farmers, local community representatives, government officials, the scientific community, and others in fostering a culture of sustainable development during Ukraine’s recovery."

Shakhmatenko also noted that, thanks to the support of the Global Environment Facility and the FOLUR platform (The Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration Impact Programme), UNDP is able to share expertise and assist in implementing global environmentally-focused practices, while adapting them to Ukraine's unique conditions.

Background:

UNDP’s "Promoting Sustainable Livestock Management and Ecosystem Conservation in Northern Ukraine" project, funded by the Global Environment Facility, will run from 2022 to 2026 across seven Ukrainian oblasts: Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia, and Chernihiv. The project focuses on restoring degraded peatlands, promoting sustainable livestock and crop production, implementing paludiculture (peatland management) practices, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from drained peatlands, and encouraging the development of agricultural cooperatives. It also aims to balance agricultural and environmental conservation goals through integrated land use plans, and bolster community capacities to attract funding for ecosystem conservation and restoration. 

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org