USAID AGRO to allot 5.6 mln hryvni to Ukraine for fighting corruption, hostile takeovers in land relations

MOSCOW. Feb 22 (Interfax) - The USAID's Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities (AGRO) program will allot 5.6 million hryvni for the development and implementation of a project for fighting corruption and hostile takeovers in land relations in Ukraine, Ukrainian media said, citing the press service for the Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry.

"Progress in fighting corruption is not just a key condition for Ukraine's membership in the EU and NATO but also a critical task amid martial law. [...] The main goal of the project is to narrow the scale of corruption and hostile takeovers in land relations at the local, regional and national levels," the ministry said.

Non-governmental and human rights organizations, business associations and law firms can complete for sub-grant financing.

A major task of the sub-granter will be to provide free legal and advisory assistance to affected farmers, communities, landowners and land users to combat corruption and illegal seizure of land.

In addition, it will ensure systematic monitoring of corruption in land relations in different regions, preparation and publication of reports, and crime prevention coaching.

Another task of the sub-granter is to analyze draft regulations in the field of land relations for the presence of corruption risks, the ministry said.

Applications for the sub-grant contest can be submitted before March 14, 2024, and a pre-application seminar will take place on February 28.