PROSPECTS FOR MODERNIZATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY SYSTEM AS A TOOL FOR ENSURING DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of problems and development prospects of the agricul­tural advisory system in Ukraine. The relevance of the chosen topic is determined by the fact that today in Ukraine agricultural advisory as a consulting system has not been properly devel­oped and remains out of the state’s attention, needs modernization and increasing the efficiency in order to further ensure the development of agricultural cooperation in Ukraine. Despite the provisions of the State Target Program for the Development of the Agricul­tural Sector for the Period until 2022 and the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, the number of agricultural advisory services in Ukraine remains small, majority of the agricultural advisory services are located in administrative centers, while ag­ricultural producers are located in rural areas, the level of financial support from the state and local authorities is too small for successful development. This article highlights proposals for modernizing the agricultural advisory system. The in­troduction of a hierarchical three-level system of the agricultural advisory services is proposed. The article stressed the need to review the principle of financing the advisory activities and to introduce web-platforms of the digital advisory in Ukraine, which will help to reduce the barriers to access of agricultural producers to information and consulting service of advisory services.