International support, the development of vocational education, and the rapid implementation of practice-oriented educational solutions are critically important for maintaining the competitiveness of Ukraine’s agricultural sector, which, despite the war, remains a key source of foreign exchange earnings and one of the drivers of the economy, stated participants at the press conference “International Partnership for the Development of Education in Ukraine’s Agricultural Sector.”
During the discussion, speakers emphasized that the agricultural sector is increasingly facing a shortage of personnel, the need for staff retraining, adaptation to new EU standards, and demand for modern digital knowledge—from post-harvest grain processing to artificial intelligence technologies in agricultural production.
Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center and deputy director of the Interfax-Ukraine agency, emphasized that under current conditions, the development of education in the agricultural sector is directly linked to issues of the country’s economic stability.
“Today, Ukraine’s economy depends to a significant extent on assistance from international partners, and this must be stated plainly. But Ukraine cannot build its future solely on external support, so we need industries that generate foreign exchange revenue, sustain employment, and form the tax base, and the agricultural sector remains precisely such a sector,” he emphasized at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Tuesday.
According to Urakin, one example of such a practical partnership is the launch of the online course “Application of Artificial Intelligence Technologies in Agricultural Production,” implemented by Experts Club in collaboration with AgriAcademy at the initiative of the EBRD as part of food security support programs. He emphasized that solutions allowing Ukrainian farmers not just to talk about innovation but to translate it into concrete business tools are particularly important.
“The goal of this course is to shift the conversation about artificial intelligence from the level of abstractions to the level of concrete business solutions. Today, Ukraine needs a new system for training farmers—one that is more technologically advanced, systematic, and combines international best practices, business expertise, and applied tasks,” noted Urakin.
In turn, Oksana Yurchenko, project coordinator at the FAO Investment Center in Ukraine, emphasized that the labor shortage in the agricultural sector is a chronic problem that has not disappeared either after the pandemic or amid a full-scale war, and therefore, accessible remote learning formats are becoming one of the few realistic ways to quickly improve workers’ qualifications.
“The shortage of skilled workers in the agricultural sector has been, is, and will continue to be one of the key challenges. It is often difficult for farm workers to attend in-person training due to their schedules and the remote locations of their farms, so the industry needs accessible, practical, and flexible training that can be completed without taking time off from work,” she noted.
Yurchenko noted that the AgriAcademy platform was created in response to a request from major agribusinesses and international partners for systematic training for the sector amid the war. According to her, the platform already hosts over 40 courses, which are developed in collaboration with businesses, Ukrainian and international experts, and adapted to the sector’s current needs. Particular emphasis is placed not only on crop production but also on livestock farming, where requirements for biosecurity, animal health, welfare, and compliance with European standards have risen sharply.
“If we look at the number of diplomas and certificates issued by the AgriAcademy platform, we’re already talking about over 3,500 documents. At the same time, the number of registered students who are still taking courses or plan to complete their studies is approximately three times higher, which indicates a steady growth in interest in the platform,” Yurchenko reported.
She also noted that as of January 1, 2026, mandatory animal welfare requirements will apply to all agricultural enterprises that keep animals, and therefore the demand for specialized training will only increase. According to the expert, the courses on the platform are not yet legally mandatory, but they are effectively becoming an important practical tool for the correct interpretation and implementation of new regulations at enterprises.
Rodion Rybchynskyi, Director of the “Flour Millers of Ukraine” Association and a grain sector expert at the UN FAO, noted that the staffing problem affects not only agricultural production but the entire agri-food sector, including processing and the food industry, where automation of many processes cannot yet replace human labor.
“The labor shortage in the food industry is even more acute today than in agricultural production itself. Unmanned combines or tractors can already be used in the fields, but no one has figured out how to produce bread, grains, pasta, or other food products without people, so the issue of staff quality and knowledge is the number one challenge here,” he added.
Rybchynskyi emphasized that in the context of European integration, food industry enterprises must not only seek out employees but also quickly upgrade their qualifications in accordance with new regulations, technological requirements, and quality standards. That is why, he said, educational platforms such as AgriAcademy must develop in parallel with formal education.
The expert also noted that a course on post-harvest processing and grain storage is already available on the platform, and a course on processing grain crops is expected to be released soon. At the same time, as the expert emphasized, the main goal of such programs is to provide specialists with a solid foundation, without which innovation is impossible.
Maksym Hopka, head of the “AgroKebeti PRO: Grains and Oilseeds” project at the UCAB association, stated that retraining, short applied programs, and training with a practical component are currently among the most effective tools for addressing the labor shortage in the agricultural sector.
“Today, the agricultural sector in Ukraine is facing a serious labor shortage, so rapid, practice-oriented educational solutions are becoming crucial. Our approach is not just about training, but about developing a new quality of human capital for the agricultural sector by combining theory, practice, and direct interaction with businesses,” he noted.
According to Hopka, nearly 984 people registered for training under one of the programs, and 552 have already completed it. Some participants also completed the practical component, after which some graduates found employment or continued working in a related field within the industry. He noted that special attention in such programs was given to internally displaced persons, youth, people with disabilities, and war veterans.
Gopka also emphasized that it is important not only to create new educational products but also to ensure their close connection with higher education institutions. He reported that, as part of educational projects, more than seven memorandums have already been signed with leading agricultural universities, and certain programs are being implemented as supplements to master’s degree courses with the involvement of business representatives and foreign educational partners.
Serhiy Shylko, founder of TATFooD and a recruitment media agency, commenting on the situation in the labor market, noted that for employers in the current conditions, the main challenge is not simply finding a specialist, but the ability to retain an employee by offering them stability, clear working conditions, and opportunities for professional development.
“Today, success in the agri-food business is determined not by the search for the perfect specialist, but by the ability to become an integral part of a person’s life, providing them with stability and a sense of purpose. A production technologist must now serve as both a mentor to line staff and a process manager, so training platforms should help adapt specialists to new working conditions,” he said.
Shilko also emphasized the importance of the concept of lifelong learning and noted that the market already needs programs that employees can complete alongside their work, without a prolonged interruption in the production cycle. In his view, public and private initiatives in this area should not duplicate one another but rather address different segments of demand—from blue-collar professions to modern digital competencies, which are currently lacking even in formal retraining programs.
During the discussion, the speakers also focused on the state of academic education. They noted that the traditional system of workforce training in many cases is no longer keeping pace with the pace of change in the industry, particularly due to a weak material base, low teacher salaries, and a lack of sufficient resources for laboratories and modern equipment. At the same time, as the participants noted, it is precisely the alliance of business, universities, and professional associations that can become the model capable of producing tangible results.
Rodion Rybchynskyi cited examples of involving faculty from specialized Ukrainian universities in developing and teaching courses, as well as business collaboration with universities in creating modern laboratories, particularly at specialized higher education institutions. Participants in the press conference agreed that without such a partnership, a full-scale renewal of the workforce for the agricultural sector would be impossible.
A separate topic was the issue of potentially bringing foreign workers to Ukraine amid a labor shortage. Representatives of the processing sector noted that there is already some demand for such workers, but in practice, it often runs into obstacles due to immigration laws and organizational challenges. At the same time, according to Oksana Yurchenko’s assessment, while such a scenario is partially feasible for processing and certain production sectors, it is unlikely to become widespread in the livestock segment.
Overall, the participants of the press conference concluded that, given the war, demographic pressures, and tougher competition in foreign markets, the agricultural sector can no longer rely solely on traditional approaches to workforce training. In their view, international partnerships, digital educational platforms, short practical programs, business involvement in training, and the modernization of academic education should form the basis of a new workforce model for Ukrainian agribusiness.
AGRO, EXPERTS, EXPERTS CLUB, FAO, Flour Mills of Ukraine, GRAIN, MAXIM GOPKA, MAXIM URAKIN, RECRUITING, RODION RYBCHINSKY; AGROKEBETI PRO, SERGEY SHILKO, TATFOOD, ОКСАНА ЮРЧЕНКО
The international rating agency Fitch Ratings revised upward the price forecast for copper and aluminum for the coming years due to the imbalance in the global market, for gold – due to geopolitical tensions. The experts also adjusted the cost estimates for coking and thermal coal, platinum, palladium and lithium for 2025, reflecting short-term price factors, the agency said.
Expectations for iron ore, nickel, zinc and cobalt were unchanged.
In addition, analysts added a forecast for raw material costs in 2028.
“U.S. trade duties are likely to have implications for the global economy and thus increase volatility in metals prices,” the report said.
The higher forecasts for copper for 2025-2027 reflect a tight global market balance in the short to medium term due to still growing demand from China, although growth slows to 2-3% per year from 7% in 2023. Refined copper consumption in the PRC accounts for almost 60% of global demand.
The lower coking coal forecast for this year reflects weaker steel demand in China, Europe, Japan and South Korea. Meanwhile, coal supplies have been affected by outages at several mines and severe weather conditions. Coking coal demand is likely to recover only towards the end of this year, when new blast furnaces in India and Southeast Asia come online.
Higher aluminum forecasts for 2025-2026 are supported by increased demand, especially in developed markets and China, and limited supply growth, as well as higher alumina prices due to supply disruptions.
Higher gold price expectations for 2025-2027 are driven by a higher geopolitical premium due to the precious metal being considered a “safe haven”.
“Trade war fears and volatility in equity and bond markets have increased investment inflows into gold, leading to record prices. Geopolitical risks and growing investor concerns about inflation and sovereign debt should support prices in the short to medium term,” the Fitch report said.
Expectations for platinum and palladium for this year have been lowered due to a likely price correction due to the impact of the trade war. “We expect suppliers to eventually reduce production, leading to a price recovery in line with our assumptions in 2026,” the agency’s analysts said.
The lowered price forecasts for thermal coal for 2025 reflect weaker demand, especially from China and India, where inventories remain high.
Deteriorating estimates for lithium for the current year reflect rising supplies from China and Africa, contributing to market saturation despite strong demand from electric vehicle manufacturers, Fitch said.
The AM Best rating agency has revised its outlook for the global reinsurance industry sector from stable to positive, citing expectations of high reinsurer profitability, according to the AM Best website.
Despite the slowdown in reinsurance rate growth, underwriting discipline remains strong and profitability remains high enough to cover higher loss activity, as evidenced by the recently published Best’s Segment Outlook.
At the same time, it is emphasized that AM Best’s outlook for the global reinsurance market is positive for the first time in several years.
“Demand for insurance coverage remains strong due to increasing activity in natural catastrophe losses and general economic uncertainty,” said Carlos Wong-Fupui, senior director of AM Best. “We have also taken into account expectations of a slower decline in interest rates than originally anticipated, which is likely to support strong earnings in the short term.”
It is also noted that the reinsurance portfolios of the largest players continue to expand due to a combination of higher reinsurance rates and increased demand. Although the loss ratios in the first quarter of 2024 were affected by large losses, in particular the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, the insurance margin and annual return on capital remain high.
AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in more than 100 countries and has regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City.
Maritime insurance experts are calling for closer cooperation with shipowners to develop decarbonization strategies, Reinsurance News reports.
The white paper, co-authored by underwriting firm Atrium and Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City, University of London, emphasizes the crucial role insurers can play in facilitating the transition to greener practices in the shipping industry, the report says.
Noting the urgency of this issue, the document emphasizes that although the shipping sector currently accounts for about 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, this figure could soar to 13% in the near future.
This forecast is explained by the relatively slow progress in reducing emissions in the maritime industry compared to other sectors.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has implemented two key initiatives: The Existing Ships Energy Efficiency Index (EEXI) and the Carbon Intensity Index (CII), aimed at monitoring and assessing the environmental impact of maritime operations.
The paper outlines several strategies for insurers to promote decarbonization, including incorporating compliance requirements into insurance policies, adjusting premium rates based on compliance data, and working closely with clients to explore innovative solutions.
However, the authors warn that insurers must strike a delicate balance between encouraging decarbonization and remaining competitive in the market.
With global marine insurance premiums expected to reach S35.8 billion in 2022, the document emphasizes the importance of collective action by stakeholders to achieve sustainable development goals while maintaining market competitiveness.
The study emphasizes the need for concerted efforts by all stakeholders involved in the maritime industry to successfully overcome the challenges of decarbonization.
Wall Street experts expect earnings of S&P 500 companies to increase in the current quarter after three quarters of annual decline, The Wall Street Journal writes.
This could create a more stable basis for the recovery of the US stock market, which has stalled recently. The S&P 500 is up nearly 17% year to date, but the index has ended in the red for four of the last six weeks.
The consensus among experts surveyed by FactSet is for S&P 500 earnings to rise 0.5% this quarter and 1.2% for the full year.
Analysts raised their forecasts for the current quarter in the first two months, something that hasn’t happened since the third quarter of 2021, said John Butters, chief earnings analyst at FactSet.
Earnings forecasts are at or near record levels across most segments of the S&P 500, including the IT, communications services and consumer goods companies.
The sub-indices of these segments in the S&P 500 are leading the gainers this year. Thus, the indicator of shares of IT companies has increased since the beginning of the year by 41%, communication services – 43%, manufacturers of consumer goods – 32%.
In recent days, analysts have raised earnings per share forecasts for industrial companies and utility providers to record highs, the WSJ notes. The industrials subindex of the S&P 500 is up 7.1% this year, while utilities are down 11%.
David Lefkowitz, head of US equities at UBS Global Wealth Management, expects the S&P 500 to be around 4,500 at the end of December this year and reach 4,700 by the end of June next year.
As of 17:00 Moscow time on Monday, the index value is 4476.37 points.
Lefkowitz expects the resumption of student loan payments, as well as high energy prices and mortgage rates, to keep the stock market down.
More and more entrepreneurs and organizations are turning to grant programs in the hope of obtaining financial support for their projects. However, many of them make typical mistakes even at the stage of submitting and implementing an application, which can lead to undesirable consequences. In this regard, Kyiv Analytical Center “Experts Club” together with the founder of “Granta” company and grant projects implementation expert Olga Shaverina, launched a series of YouTube videos, dedicated to the peculiarities of grant financing. In the first video Olga Shaverina shared her experience and told about the most common mistakes made by beginner grantees, as well as gave recommendations on how to avoid them.
The first mistake many people make is not trusting grantmaking tools. Some entrepreneurs do not realize the opportunities that grants provide and miss the chance to get funding for their projects. Lack of information about grant programs and lack of knowledge about procedures can cause missed opportunities.
The second mistake, according to the expert, has to do with not accepting the fact that business is part of society. Many entrepreneurs forget that grant programs are usually aimed at solving social problems or supporting certain social initiatives. Emphasizing the social importance of their project can help in attracting the attention of grantmakers.
The third mistake is neglecting procedures. This is a critical component of successful grantmaking, where proper paperwork and adherence to grant program requirements are critical to your success. Negligence in this matter can cause the application to be rejected.
“Reassign the preparation of the grant application to your secretary on the principle of “He/She can do it! ” because he/she knows how to do the paperwork is the most common mistake among applicants. Most projects fail exactly on this basis,” says Olga Shaverina.
The fourth mistake entrepreneurs often make is underestimating the cost of training. First of all it is a question of labor inputs, because preparation of the grant application demands time, efforts and resources. Some entrepreneurs underestimate the amount of work required to prepare a quality application. Developing a detailed budget, creating a project plan, and analyzing the market and competitors all require careful preparation and research. The lack of a detailed plan and an incomplete understanding of the necessary resources can lead to project failure.
Finally, a fifth mistake worth noting is misunderstanding partnerships and consultant selection. Working in partnership with other organizations or consultants can greatly improve the chances of a successful grant project. However, choosing partners incorrectly or not understanding their role and contribution to the project can lead to conflicts and ineffective work. The criteria for selecting partners and consultants must be clearly defined and meet the goals and needs of the project.
Ms. Shaverina also emphasized the importance of a proper understanding of reporting. Many entrepreneurs underestimate the importance of reporting and do not pay adequate attention to it. Failure to comply with reporting requirements may result in penalties or loss of funding. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully study the reporting requirements and provide all the necessary documents in a timely manner.
Maxim Urakin, founder of the Club of Experts, in turn, shared statistics on grant assistance to Ukraine for the years 2022-2023. Thus, he noted that in 2022 international aid to Ukraine amounted to more than $32 billion, including 18 billion in grant support.
“This year Ukraine has already received about $19 billion in assistance, of which $11 billion was received in January-March, of which $3.7 billion came in the form of grants. That is why grant assistance, including those for specific projects, is extremely important for our economy under current conditions,” said Maxim Uralkin.
So, grant programs are an important tool for business development and implementation of social initiatives. However, in order to receive grant support successfully, it is necessary to avoid common mistakes, which the experts told us about. Compliance with requirements and procedures, understanding the importance of the social aspect of the project, choosing the right partners and consultants, as well as consciously estimating costs and preparing for reporting are all factors that can increase the chances of success.
You can learn more about the mistakes you make when submitting a grant proposal by watching the video on the Club of Experts YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F7qjrSoWac
Subscribe to the channel at:
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