Library Helps Ukraine Strawberry Producers

Ukraine is one of the major exporters of berries in Europe. According to a Ukrainian Agribusiness Society report, it was estimated that last year Ukrainian farmers produced between 600 and 800 tons of strawberries, and many are expecting production to continue growing in the coming years. Farmers in the Boromlya Region, known as “Strawberry Land,” are using computers at their local library to ensure their future success.

Farmers’ income, particularly those from Northern Ukraine, is highly dependent on the production of berries. However, all this was threatened in 2009 when the economic recession, erratic market conditions, and a long winter negatively impacted 30% of the harvest of strawberries. Ever since then, farmers have been looking for innovative solutions to grow strawberries.

The Boromlya Library has been working with strawberry producers to increase the output of their production through access to information. Some of the farmers have learned successful entrepreneurship and a business through the project: “Strawberry Growing for Community Welfare.” After receiving new computers through the Bibliomist program in 2011, local librarians started working with the Boromlya Strawberries Agricultural Club and small family-owned business.

Through the computers at the library, farmers learned about fruit markets and then invested in the necessary business development tools to satisfy the international demand. Farmers also learned new cost-effective growing techniques that helped them increase their profits. “I use drip irrigation system and grow strawberries under a special type of agricultural fiber that allows me to get the first harvest almost ten days faster than usual and sell the berries at higher prices,” expressed Halyna Solokha, a local farmer. Having access to market information is crucial for farmers that are interesting in increasing their profits. For example, last year, it was estimated that high quality strawberries of Ukrainian origin were sold at a 15-25% higher price than regular strawberries.

Nadiya Chinnikova, an active library regular and head of the local “strawberry” club, has been in the industry for a long time. She inherited the business from her parents. Nadiya visits the library to learn about modern farming methods. “I access the latest news at the library, especially during the winter. This allows me to be better prepared for the harvesting season. I also exchange information with farmers from other regions. We talk about potential new berries that we can try growing on our land,” shared Ms. Chinnikova.

The Boromlya library’s “Strawberry Growing for Community Welfare” project is one of the many examples of how libraries in Ukraine are helping improve citizen’s lives.