AgriAcademy is now accepting registrations for a new free practice-oriented course, “The Application of Artificial Intelligence Technologies in Agricultural Production,” designed for representatives of small and medium-sized agricultural businesses, agricultural enterprise managers, agricultural consultants, and technology specialists.
The course was created by a team from the non-governmental organization “Club of Experts,” which participated in an open competition for proposals to develop online training courses held by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine in 2025 with the aim of overcoming the shortage of professional knowledge and skills in the agricultural sector, food and processing industries, with a focus on representatives of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Ukraine.
The agricultural sector is entering a phase where competitiveness is determined not only by production technologies, but also by the quality of data processing. While a few years ago AI was perceived as an experimental technology, today it is becoming a basic tool for managing yields, resources, risks, and market strategies. The new course helps to move from a theoretical understanding of AI to practical implementation with measurable economic results.
What participants will gain
Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:
understand how AI models work in the agricultural sector;
assess the economic feasibility of implementing AI;
build simple prototypes of yield forecasting models;
work with multi-source data (sensors, satellites, weather, production logs);
develop a roadmap for the digital transformation of the enterprise;
avoid common mistakes in implementing expensive but ineffective digital solutions.
Course program: from basic principles to management decisions
Introduction. AI as a new infrastructure for agricultural production
The transition from intuitive management to data-driven approaches. How to start with a pilot and quickly assess the effect.
Module 1. Artificial intelligence opportunities for agribusiness
machine learning and generative AI in the agricultural sector;
working with agricultural data and sensor infrastructure;
automation of analytics and management processes;
forming the data architecture of an enterprise.
Practice: analysis of the possibilities of implementing IoT and Big Data in your own business.
Module 2. Resource optimization and productivity improvement
Yield forecasting and climate risk management;
Use of satellite and field data;
Optimization of water, energy, and bioenergy processes;
Building AI forecasting models.
Practice: Creating a prototype yield forecasting model based on multisensor data.
Module 3. Implementing AI in business management
AI in animal husbandry, logistics, sales, and finance;
KPI automation and digital project management;
scaling and adapting international experience;
evaluating the ROI of digital solutions.
Practical exercise: developing an AI implementation plan for your own enterprise.
Key learning outcome
The course provides a systematic overview of the use of artificial intelligence, from data collection to management decisions. Agriacademy participants will learn not only to test technologies, but also to build economically sound digital solutions for real agribusinesses.
Course authors and instructors
Experts at the intersection of IT, science, business, and management are involved in teaching:
Artem Goncharenko – IT entrepreneur, president of the International Transfer Technology Association, expert in technological development and digital monitoring systems.
Andriy Stanko – Doctor of Computer Science, expert in IoT, Smart City, monitoring systems, and sustainable development.
Oleksandr Morozov-Leonov – AI specialist, researcher in the field of computing technologies.
Maksym Urakin – PhD in Economics, founder of the NGO “Club of Experts,” expert in analytics and economic processes.
Who is this course for
owners and managers of agricultural enterprises;
agricultural managers and technologists;
specialists in the digitalization of the agricultural sector;
agricultural market consultants and analysts;
representatives of agricultural SMEs planning digital transformation.
How to join
Registration is now open on the AgriAcademy platform!
The course will be a practical tool for those who want to move from reactive management to a predictive, information-oriented agribusiness model.
The course is free and open to all registered users of the AgriAcademy platform.
Participants can study the materials online at their convenience, without time restrictions, and after successfully completing the final test, they will receive a certificate.
AgriAcademy is a free online learning platform created on the initiative of the EBRD as part of its food security support program in Ukraine. Its goal is to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainable development of agriculture, which has suffered significant losses due to the war.
The creation and management of the platform (including the development of courses, training tours, etc.) is carried out with the support and funding of the EBRD, as well as:
The EBRD’s Multilateral Donor Account for Stabilization and Sustainable Growth in Ukraine (donors: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union as the largest donor);
The Republic of Ireland through the EBRD Small Business Promotion Fund (other donors to the fund: Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Taipei China, and the United States);
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Customer experience no longer works as a “separate function.” In 2026, it becomes Total Experience—a holistic approach that combines customer experience with brand and employee experience, automation, and user experience into a single managed system.
This is the business response to the new reality: not chasing the customer, but anticipating their needs, reducing friction at key stages of interaction, and shaping demand through a well-thought-out experience. Managed experience ensures increased loyalty, repeat sales, and margins.
This transformation is the focus of the 20th anniversary CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CONFERENCE with the theme MATURE CX MANAGEMENT SYSTEM from KA Group, a team that has been creating strategic business events for 13 years in a row, shaping new rules of the game for business leaders.
If you are responsible for customer experience, brand, digital solutions, or team performance, save the date:
February 26 — 20′ CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CONFERENCE — the only cross-industry conference in Ukraine for leaders who develop mature and human customer experience as a management system.
This event is worth attending if you:
want to turn changes in demand into effective CX solutions;
strive to make your brand promise manageable and measurable (CX + BX);
plan to implement AI and automation without chaos in processes and teams (CX + AI);
are looking for ways to reduce team fatigue while maintaining service quality (CX + EX);
want to create a seamless omnichannel user and digital experience (CX + UX/DX);
want to learn how a CEO should manage CX;
are ready for practical work with real business challenges.
Conference speakers:
Serhii Nozdrachov, certified Gullup expert in talent development and team engagement, KMBS lecturer
Denys Sudilkovskyi, Brand and Business Director at LUN, Director of Innovation at Prjctr AI Lab
Yuriy Gladkyi, founder and CEO of Grape brand marketing agency
Dmytro Karpilovskyi, full-time investor, co-founder of UkrInvestClub
Yaroslav Zablotskyi, professor, founder of the Zablotskyi Clinic chain
Olena Tsysar, International Expert on Strategic Development of Customer Experience (CX)
Oksana Marusych, Certified Business Trainer, ICF Coach, Expert on Service and Customer Experience
Marina Bereziuk, Business Psychologist, Independent Consultant on Customer Service
Kateryna Ilchenko, founder of Ukraine’s first neuromarketing agency, Neuro-knowledge
Kateryna Nebesna, Head of Guest Experience at Fozzy Group
Hanna Gryshyna, Deputy CEO for Strategic Marketing and Communications at EVA
Oleksandr Mazur, Director of Marketing and Digital Channels at Raiffeisen Bank
Iryna Chubukova, business consultant on customer analytics, author of the book Customer Analytics, lecturer at KMBS
Nastasia Klen, social innovation designer
Denis Studennikov, COO of Turum-Burum, Member of the Expert Council at CX Excellence Awards 2025
Yulia Shkurko, Head of the Analytical Department at Pro-Consulting
Petro Minchenko, Head of CX at Synevo
Alona Moroz, AM Facilitation, Strategic Facilitator
The highlight of the event is Open Space, a practical format where participants set the agenda themselves, choose discussions, and gain practical insights on topics that are truly important to them.
Register as a team and join a community of leaders who are turning customer experience into a competitive advantage and a driver of business growth.
There is also a special offer for team participation 4 + 1.
Organizer: KA Group
Official partner: Raiffeisen Bank
Contacts: info@kagroup.ua | +38 (063) 247 94 74
Detailed program and team registration: https://kagroup.ua/cx/
Interfax-Ukraine is the main information partner of the event.
The Vietnamese authorities have changed the procedure for applying for Temporary Residence Cards (TRCs): from February 2026, it will only be possible to submit documents directly within the country if you have an LD2 (work) or TT (family member) visa. Holders of other visas, including business visas, must now first go through the mandatory stage of converting their visa to the appropriate category before applying for a TRC.
According to estimates by the international consulting company Fragomen, the introduction of this additional step will increase the processing time for TRCs by approximately two weeks. Experts recommend first obtaining a work permit and then applying for the appropriate type of entry visa to avoid delays in legalizing your status.
The change effectively establishes a stricter “chain” of migration control: work permit – work visa – residence card, which increases the risks for those who enter on an e-visa or a “start-up” business visa and only then apply for work documents.
According to the World Bank (UN estimate on international migration), in mid-2024, there were about 326,400 international migrants (born outside the country) living in Vietnam, which corresponds to approximately 0.3% of the population.
At the same time, Vietnam received a record 21.2 million foreign visitors in 2025, with the largest markets being China (5.28 million), South Korea (4.33 million), Taiwan (1.23 million), the United States (849,000), Japan (814,000), India (746,500), Russia (689,700), Cambodia (687,100), Malaysia (573,700), and Australia (548,500). Ukraine is not included in the top 10 markets in the summary.
The implementation of the project to develop the Dobra lithium deposit in the Kirovohrad region will provide jobs and budget revenues for the Ukrainian economy, but the maximum effect for the economy is possible if processing and final product manufacturing are localized in the country. This was reported by the Experts Club expert and analytical center, citing Vladimir Khaustov, scientific secretary of the Institute of Economics and Forecasting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
Khaustov noted that when exporting raw materials or concentrate, the main added value will be generated outside Ukraine, while the production of batteries and other lithium-based products would significantly increase the project’s contribution to economic development.
At the same time, he pointed to the risks of market changes and technological transition to alternative solutions for energy storage devices. According to his estimates, the path from the start of development of the deposit to the release of the final product could take about 15 years, during which time other types of batteries, such as aluminum-ion or sodium batteries, or even other types of energy storage devices, could appear on the market.
As reported, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has selected the winner of the competition for the development of the Dobra lithium deposit under a production sharing agreement (PSA) — Dobra Lithium Holdings JV, LLC, whose shareholders are Techmet and The Rock Holdings. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that the project involves attracting at least $179 million in investments, including $12 million for geological exploration and international audit of reserves and $167 million for the organization of extraction and enrichment upon confirmation of industrial reserves.
The PSA competition for the Dobre field was announced in September 2025. According to the State Service of Geology and Subsoil, the 17.07 sq km site is located in the Kirovograd region, and the winner will receive a special permit for a period of 50 years. In addition to lithium, the project covers a number of associated metals.
Sources cite the land ownership structure in the deposit area and environmental procedures, including the need for a new environmental impact assessment and public discussion, as additional challenges for the investor.
The history of US territorial expansion includes a number of major deals in which Washington acquired land from European powers and neighboring states. The Experts Club infographic highlights key acquisitions and their price at the time of the deal, as well as approximate estimates in 2026 dollars.
One of the largest deals was the Louisiana Purchase (1803), in which the US acquired vast territories in central North America from France for $15 million (estimated at around $430 million in 2026 prices). The next major expansion was the Mexican Cession (1848) — the transfer of territories following the Mexican-American War, formalized by an agreement, with a payment of $15 million (estimated at $615 million in 2026 prices).
Deals in the south and southwest were a separate block. Florida (1819) was transferred by Spain, and the financial part of the agreement was estimated at $5 million (in 2026 prices – about $127 million). The purchase of Gadsden (1854) from Mexico, which clarified the border in the southwest, cost the US $10 million (about $386 million in 2026 prices).
The most famous deal with the Russian Empire was the purchase of Alaska (1867) for $7.2 million (about $158 million in 2026 prices). Later, the US expanded into the Caribbean by purchasing the Virgin Islands (1917) from Denmark for $25 million (about $698 million in 2026 prices).
The Experts Club notes that the comparison of “prices in 2026” is approximate and depends on the conversion method (inflation indices, purchasing power parity). However, even with this approximation, it is clear that the historical transaction amounts appear relatively small by modern standards given the strategic value of the acquired territories, their natural resources, logistical position, and impact on security.
Romanian authorities, as part of a campaign to combat fictitious registration, annulled 162,036 national identity cards (carte de identitate) from the launch of checks in 2023 through December 31, 2025, Romanian media reported, citing data from the Interior Ministry and the General Directorate for Population Records.
According to the statistics provided, 66% of the annulled documents relate to persons whose place of birth is Moldova, 17% to those born in Romania, and 12% to those born in Ukraine. A further 1% each relates to persons born in Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Russia.
As noted, the checks are linked to identifying cases of mass registrations at a single address. According to the authorities, there were situations where more than 22,000 people were registered at one address in Bucharest.
At the same time, the annulment of an identity card due to problems with address registration does not mean deprivation of citizenship; it affects only the document confirming the registered domicile. According to Radio Moldova, about 20% of those whose documents were annulled have already obtained new Romanian documents on legal grounds.
