Sustainable support for Ukraine
A new policy brief shows how geodata analyses, training and digital advisory services can contribute to the rebuilding of rural areas.
07/16/2026 · News · Leibniz-Institut für Agrarentwicklung in Transformationsökonomien · Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Raumwissenschaften · Forschungsergebnis
IAMO Policy Brief 52 examines how digital innovations can support the rebuilding and sustainable development of rural regions in Ukraine. The focus is on the Polissia Digital Innovation Hub (POLIDIH), a regional platform that offers geodata analyses, training and digital advisory services to farmers, agribusinesses, researchers and local authorities.
The “Community Geo-Investment Passport” is presented as a key tool; it combines open data, satellite information and locally validated data to highlight investment potential and facilitate the planning of development projects. The findings show that digital services can make a significant contribution to economic development and the rebuilding of rural areas if they are embedded in local administrative structures, supported by targeted capacity-building and based on transparent data systems. At the same time, they highlight the importance of knowledge transfer, institutional cooperation and the active involvement of local stakeholders for a successful digital transformation.
This policy brief was written as part of the project “Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development: German-Ukrainian Perspectives for Future Agricultural and Food Systems in Europe” (DigiAgrar_UA), funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Four international expert roundtables and the DigiAgrar_UA workshop held in November 2025 at IAMO in Halle (Saale) provided important impetus. The discussions made it clear that the digital transformation of Ukraine’s agri-food sector is largely driven by close cooperation between businesses, research institutions, start-ups and political stakeholders. Valuable insights were provided by the experiences of leading Ukrainian agricultural and IT companies such as Astarta Holding, EOS Data Analytics, SmartFarming, TG Consulting, UNIT.City and the Ukrainian Startup Fund. These organisations develop and implement innovative digital solutions in close cooperation with universities, research institutions, start-ups and international partners. In doing so, they promote the transfer of knowledge between academia and practice and help to integrate modern technologies – such as geodata analysis, satellite monitoring, artificial intelligence, digital platforms and data-driven management systems – more rapidly into agricultural production and the wider agri-food sector.
“The experience gained from POLIDIH and the contributions of leading Ukrainian agricultural and IT companies show that digital technologies can make a significant contribution to increasing productivity, improving market transparency and strengthening competitiveness,” says IAMO researcher Dr Oleksandr Perekhozhuk. “Innovations realise their full potential particularly where academia, industry and politics work closely together.”
IAMO Policy Brief 52 “Digital solutions and services for rural communities: Lessons learned from the Polissia Digital Innovation Hub (POLIDIH)” was published in German, English and Ukrainian. The issues can be downloaded free of charge on the following website: www.iamo.de/en/iamo-policy-briefs.
Publication
Further information and contact
Press release – Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO)