15-18 October 2013, Trento, Italy
Vicolo San Marco 1

A capacity building seminar organised by the
OECD LEED Trento Centre and the OECD Eurasia Competitiveness programme
with the support of the European Union and the Government of Sweden

 

Objective / Context / What /  Who / Format / Contact

 

OBJECTIVE

---

The aim of this seminar was to build institutional capacities and transfer methodologies to the Ukrainian policy makers on areas which could improve the country’s agricultural competitiveness and sustain Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), building on the OECD know-how and reflecting on the Trento experience.

This event was part of a series of seminars designed to:

• Showcase OECD’s international good practices
  
  
• Raise awareness on the importance of a public-private dialogue in the reform process
  
  
• Focus on the role played by SMEs in Ukraine’s agricultural sector
  
  
• Strengthen institutional capacities to embed a policy reform process in Ukraine
  
  
• Transfer methodology and build analytical and decision making capacities of Ukrainian policy makers.

 

CONTEXT

---

The project “Sector Competitiveness Strategy for Ukraine” was launched in 2009 to support the government in designing reforms to unleash the country’s economic potential in prioritised sectors. It is managed by a Co-ordination Council chaired by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine.

The Phase I of the project assessed and identified three high-potential sectors for economic growth, one of which is Agribusiness. The Phase II of the project addressed sector-specific policy barriers hindering the development of those sectors.  Specific recommendations on how to overcome those sectoral barriers were summarised in four OECD Policy Handbooks.

The Phase III (2013-2015) builds on this analysis and will further advice on options to address policy barriers to sector competitiveness. This Phase will also transfer OECD know-how and methodologies to Ukrainian policy makers and government representatives in order to support the effective implementation of the recommendations and to put in place a sustainable policy reform mechanism in Ukraine for private sector competitiveness. The project’s Phase III is co-financed by the European Union and the Government of Sweden.

 

WHAT

---

The capacity building seminar gave a space to participants to exchange experiences and discussed common issues with regard to the development of strategies, programmes and actions in line with the OECD recommendations stemming from the Project. In particular it considered the role of rural co-operatives in supporting SMEs financing and in enhancing skills for Agribusinesses, particularly SMEs. Participants had the opportunity to present their own programmes and policies, and to discuss with international expert and practitioners the approaches and policy options adopted to tackle similar challenges.

 

WHO

---

The capacity building seminar was targeted at a selected group of Ukrainian policy makers, including representatives of the Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. Representatives of industry associations and other relevant stakeholders were invited to take part in the event. The participants were invited to actively participate in the sessions by preparing case studies from their own experience and share knowledge with the experts.

 

FORMAT

---

The 4-day seminar was structured around discussion in working groups based on input from case studies presented by the Ukrainian participants and OECD expert presentations on the policy strategies that governments have used in this field. Inputs from international experts and OECD staff provided a framework for discussion, and all sessions were facilitated in order to bring out common conclusions.

The seminar was conceived as a system aimed at establishing a common knowledge and experience exchange platform among the participants, rather than a traditional and conventional “vertical capacity building” event. New and fresh knowledge was expected to be generated through such exchanges and due to the combination of the experience and knowledge all the participants brought.

Interpretation into Ukrainian was provided.

 

CONTACT

---

For further information on the seminar, please contact  Alessandra Proto at the OECD LEED Trento Centre, Italy or Gabriela Miranda at the OECD Eurasia Competitiveness programme, Paris, France.

 

^Co-donors

        ‌