Green Finance and Climate-Smart Investment: Representatives from the National Development Institution (NDI) and NAS of Ukraine on ECO TV

Sustainability and climate resilience are no longer just global trends; they are mandatory criteria for Ukraine’s European integration and essential drivers of competitiveness for Ukrainian farmers in EU markets.

Representatives from the National Development Institution (NDI) and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine recently joined the “First Person” program on ECO TV to discuss emerging opportunities in green lending—specifically the “Green Horticulture” program currently implemented by NDI.

Featured Speakers:

• Vitalii Uliantsev – Head of Donor-Funded Programs Division at NDI
• Yevhen Bublyk – Key Expert in Green Finance and Head of the Monetary and Credit Relations Department at the Institute for Economics and Forecasting, NAS of Ukraine

Key Takeaways & Program Features:

The NDI IT Platform is currently accepting applications from Ukrainian fruit and berry producers for the “Green Horticulture” program.

Blended Finance (Loan + Grant Combo) To support agro-businesses, a comprehensive financial solution is available: farmers secure loans through partner financial institutions (Oschadbank and Credit West Bank) and, upon implementing their climate-smart project, receive a grant covering up to 20% (or up to €10,000) toward the principal debt balance.

Synergy with State Support Instruments This financial product can be combined with the state-subsidized “Affordable Loans 5-7-9%” program and partial credit guarantees from the Partial Credit Guarantee Fund in Agriculture, significantly lowering collateral requirements for borrowers.

Operational Benefits & Competitive Edge Deploying climate-adapted technologies—such as protective netting, multi-span film coverings, agrivoltaics, and smart irrigation systems—mitigates yield loss risks, boosts overall productivity, and streamlines access to European markets.

“Green financing is no longer strictly about environmental policy; it is fundamentally about long-term competitiveness, capital availability, and business resilience,” emphasized Vitalii Uliantsev.