At the Donau Soja General Assembly in June 2024, the continuation of the Strategic Partnership between Donau Soja and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) was announced. The Strategic partnership II is called “Strengthening the South-Eastern and Eastern European agri-food sector through sustainable, traceable and non-GM crop production, use and consumption”. This starts a new phase, which will run from 2024 to 2029, and will expand beyond soya to include other crops in rotations, with a focus on multi-crop strategies and digitalisation.
The cooperation between ADA, the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation, and Donau Soja started in 2015 with the Inception Phase, which identified the food and agriculture sector as a driver for economic development and poverty reduction in Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a result, in 2017, Strategic Partnership I was established, lasting until February 2024. This partnership focused on sustainable non-GM soybean production, and empowered participants in the soya value chain.
With new Partnership, Donau Soja and ADA started a new 5-year, 11 million Euro program (50% grant) aimed at empowering the South-Eastern and Eastern European agri-food sector through sustainable, traceable, and non-GM crop production and consumption. The program seeks to generate impacts in private sector development, poverty reduction, and environmental protection.
The aim is to go beyond soybeans and build on the valuable experience gained in Strategic Partnership I by extending the positive impact and applying the lessons learned from soybean value chain development to other crops. This approach will allow for a broader impact on beneficiaries and multiple environmental benefits in Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The implementation of the programme is aligned with global and European priorities, including the contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, 8, 9, 13, and 17, the European Commission’s Farm-to-Fork Strategy, and the European Green Deal. Further, the program will provide benefits beyond the borders of the target countries. Consumers outside the target countries will also have access to sustainably produced non-GM crops or products derived from them. The environmental impact of the Strategic Partnership programme II will be significant, as it aims to increase the proportion of sustainably managed land and contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions. The new phase is involving the continued development and implementation of new standards, increased use of IT systems and digitalisation, and support for beneficiaries in the target countries to comply with new EU regulations, such as those on deforestation and environmental, social and governance corporate responsibility.
