This text is part of the special edition Solidarité internationale
Since 2008, SOCODEVI has been helping to establish the cooperative model in Ukraine, but for the past ten months, its action has become mainly humanitarian.
Founded in 1985, the non-governmental organization SOCODEVI is the international development tool of several large Quebec cooperatives and mutual companies, such as Agropur and Promutuel Assurance.
“Our approach to international development is to help build and consolidate the cooperative model,” explains François Dionne, director of the international program at SOCODEVI. Our contribution consists in making available to our partners, in the countries where we are present, the expertise acquired by our members in the various sectors of the economy where they are active, for example forestry or agri-food. The projects we set up with our partners in the field are funded by Global Affairs Canada. »
The first steps in Ukraine
When it arrived in 2008, SOCODEVI first identified two regions, namely the provinces of Lviv, in the east of the country, and Dnipro, further west, where there were already many family dairy farms. The intention was first to consolidate this agri-food sector by promoting agricultural cooperatives, modernizing farm equipment in order to increase productivity and strengthening the marketing of dairy products.
A few years later, SOCODEVI opened a new collaborative project with the same approach, but this time in the Donbass region and in the cereal sectors – mainly wheat and sunflower – and market gardening, particularly in greenhouses.
“The proof of the success of these initiatives is that they have produced offspring,” says François Dionne. Not only have these two sectors been consolidated, but they have grown in size and led to other projects, including the construction of a grain elevator in Dnipro and a dairy processing plant in Lviv. »
Things are changing…
In 2014, Russia wrested Crimea from Ukraine, unilaterally annexing the latter. But what shakes things up for SOCODEVI is rather the pro-Russian insurrection in the Ukrainian Donbass, backed by Russia.
“If our activities in the Lviv region were not disrupted, says François Dionne, it was quite the opposite in the Donbass. We had to concentrate our efforts on consolidating the cooperatives, particularly those in Luhansk and Donetsk, located near the separatist border, and helping to rebuild those damaged by the fighting in the region. »
And change again
Last February’s invasion of Ukraine by Russia disrupted and completely transformed civilian life in Ukraine, and SOCODEVI had no choice but to adapt to this new and harsh reality.
“Our first task was to support our cooperative partners in the Donbass in their efforts to help their citizens leave the region and move to safer parts of the country,” says François Dionne. Then, even if it is not part of our mandate, we contributed to humanitarian aid, for example by distributing medicines to citizens who were unable to leave the region. »
Another problem: the influx of Ukrainian refugees in Lviv which, located to the east, generally escaped the Russian strikes. “Many Donbass farmers have taken refuge in Lviv,” says François Dionne. So, together with our Ukrainian cooperative partners, we came up with the idea of creating a greenhouse vegetable growing project in this region. Donbass farmers can work there, and thus provide agricultural products. We have also helped dairy farmers to process milk directly on the farm, by making cheese, for example, because large-scale milk processing is disrupted. Another reality to which SOCODEVI had to adapt. “Today, recalls François Dionne, the men are at the front, and it is the women who now run the agricultural cooperatives. »
After almost ten months of armed conflict, the priority, according to SOCODEVI, is food security. “We are now involved in agricultural and market gardening cooperatives in five regions of Ukraine that we consider to be safe in order to contribute to food security, emphasizes François Dionne. And when the war is over, we will still be there to help rebuild Ukraine. »
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.