Full Project Title
Soil Sampling of Syngenta Clients and Remediation
Contract
Contract No. 3-6-2 dated June 3, 2024
Project Goal
To raise awareness among small and medium-sized farmers about methods of reclaiming war-damaged soils, with a focus on Syngenta clients.
Project Objectives
- To collect soil samples from agricultural lands damaged as a result of military actions, located on Syngenta client areas in the Mykolaiv, Kherson, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kyiv regions;
- To analyze the collected samples at the University of Bern and Sumy National Agrarian University (SNAU);
- To analyze and consolidate global best practices in the remediation of war-damaged soils in collaboration with scientists from Switzerland, the UK, and Ukraine;
- To create and disseminate methodological recommendations for Ukrainian farmers—focusing on Syngenta clients—on the most effective remediation techniques for various types of soil damage;
- To conduct project communication activities through social media and professional publications in Ukraine, Switzerland, and the EU.
Stakeholders
- Small and medium-sized farmers and cooperatives;
- Farmers’ associations: UCAB, UAC;
- Soil scientists in Ukraine, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the EU.
Key Project Stages
- Prepare soil condition reports for Syngenta clients;
- Develop and distribute a soil remediation guideline targeting small and medium-sized farmers, with a focus on Syngenta clients;
- Produce video content about the remediation of Ukrainian soils and share it on social media and agricultural online platforms;
- Conduct a project PR campaign in the media and online space of Ukraine, Switzerland, and the UK.
Project Outcomes Are Aimed At
- Raising awareness of the issue in Ukraine, Switzerland, and the EU;
- Enhancing collaboration between Ukrainian and European soil scientists to evaluate scientific findings, develop forecasts, and formulate remediation strategies;
- Accelerating the restoration of war-damaged lands in Ukraine;
- Increasing the relevance and applicability of soil remediation solutions in similar contexts globally.
Project Details
- Implementation period: June–October 2024
- Budget: UAH 500,000
Participants
- Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (BFH HAFL)
- Royal Agricultural University (RAU)
- Sumy National Agrarian University (SNAU)
- University of Bern (Uni Bern)
- GreenUkraine/RETURN Team
Implementation
- Sumy National Agrarian University
- GreenUkraine.CH / RETURN Team
Contact Persons
- Dr. Olena Melnyk, BFH HAFL, olena.melnyk@bfh.ch
- Prof. Volodymyr Trotsenko, SNAU, vtrotsenko@ukr.net
- Halyna Chos, GreenUkraine.CH / RETURN Team, galyna.chos@students.bfh.ch
Scientific Team
- BFH HAFL: Dr. Olena Melnyk
- RAU: Prof. Mark Horton, Dr. David O’Connor
- SNAU: Prof. Volodymyr Trotsenko, Associate Professor Elina Zakharchenko, PhD Oksana Datsko
