Credit for Agriculture Producers (CAP) Project in Ukraine
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Contract Start Year
2016
Contract End Year
2024
Prime Partner
Other Partners
Featured Videos
Saving Animals in Ukraine
When a farmer's dairy cows were at risk due to Russia's ongoing shelling in eastern Ukraine, Stepan Kostiv stepped up to save his friend's herd, transporting them to his own farm on the other side of the country. Learn how the USAID/WOCCU Credit for Agriculture Producers (CAP) Project helped Stepan finance the new venture through his credit union.
Let's Win Together!
Ukrainian credit unions have played a significant role in assisting farmers and vulnerable people since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The CAP Project has been supporting them and recommending ways to engage local communities in joint initiatives to help those in need.
As a result, Kredyt-Soiuz, the CAP Project's partner credit union from Cherkasy Oblast, has created a new loan product called “Let’s Win Together.” It offers better loan terms and conditions for agricultural producers who in turn donate part of their agricultural products to support the most vulnerable during wartime.
Learn and Discover
Check out our latest blog posts to learn how we help agricultural producers in Ukraine. Our posts cover case studies and success stories of how credit unions provide access to affordable finance for agricultural and rural micro-, small- and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine.
A $150,000 Grant Helps 464 Ukrainian Farmers Acquire Needed Agricultural Equipment
A total of 464 Ukrainian farmers were able to purchase needed agricultural equipment thanks to a $150,000 grant facilitated through the USAID Credit for Agriculture Producers (CAP) Project.
Resilience Initiative Loan Ensures Access to Medical Care for Children in Rural Ukraine
Svitlana Yakivyuk, an otolaryngologist with a private clinic in Revakivtsi Village, used a credit union Resilience Initative loan to purchase additional equipment to treat more children locally.
Credit Unions Help Female Entrepreneurs Meet the Needs of Growing Communities
Credit unions helped entrepreneurs in western Ukraine expand their businesses to meet the needs of communities that are growing due to people who have been internally displaced due war.
Credit for Agriculture Producers Project Strengthens Value Chain Financing for Credit Unions in Ukraine
The Credit for Agriculture Producers (CAP) Project facilitated the signing of agreements between three credit unions and agricultural suppliers to improve value chain financing in Ukraine.
Credit Unions in Ukraine Intend to Finance Sustainable Development Initiatives
Learn how the Credit for Agriculture Producers Project is providing expertise and financing to help Ukrainian credit unions integrate environmental, social and governance principles.
Resilience Initiative Targeting Vulnerable Populations Launched in Ukraine
A new credit union lending program aimed at assisting vulnerable populations and boosting sustainable development in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Family Dairy Farms Grow Businesses with Credit Union Financing, Despite Ongoing War
An inspirational story of a young and motivated couple running a dairy farm in wartime Ukraine.
Relief Programs Help Ukrainian Farmers Get Through First Year of War
Loan reimbursements and free diesel fuel provided to Ukrainian farmers as immediate response to the war challenges.
Wartime Wheat: Supporting Farmers and Food Security in Ukraine
Real-life stories about the resilience of Ukrainian crop producers in wartime.
Project Overview
Affordable finance is key to the operation and growth of every business. But micro-, small- and medium-sized agricultural enterprises in Ukraine are rarely the target audience for commercial banks, as their financing needs are too small in scale. Credit unions are often their financial partner of choice, providing loyal customer service through an individual, tailored approach, without the burdensome bureaucracy of a large bank.
In 2016, to strengthen the Ukrainian credit union market and thereby expand access to agricultural credit, USAID launched the Credit for Agriculture Producers (CAP) Project, implemented by World Council of Credit Unions.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the CAP Project has been responsive to market needs by working with credit unions, their national associations and the market regulator to ensure that credit unions can remain open and continue to serve their communities by providing access to savings and agricultural loans to support local food security and other individual member needs.
Our Objectives
Objective 1. Improve the country’s outdated credit union laws and regulations to meet international and European Union best practices, building a foundation for early recovery, long-term growth and increased access to finance to support local agricultural and economic growth.
Objective 2. Support the digital transformation of credit unions to expand outreach and better meet the needs of their members, and strengthen cybersecurity.
Objective 3. Provide additional liquidity to the credit union sector through a USAID-funded $1 million Liquidity Fund and other donor contributions to ensure sufficient resources for agricultural and rural micro- and small-business lending through credit unions.
Objective 4. Build the capacity of credit unions to lend to rural and agricultural micro and small businesses, including those led by women, and relocated and returnee populations, through adaptations of proven lending and marketing methodologies, and value chain finance.
Results to-date
20,000
new agriloans for a total of $26M disbursed by CAP Project partner credit unions
4,115
agriloans for a total of $3.9M disbursed by CAP Project partner credit unions in wartime
1/4
of all agriloans disbursed by Ukrainian credit unions were issued via the Liquidity Fund
