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Poltava Conference 2006

Poltava Conference 2007

Results of Potava Conference

Click on smaller photos to enlarge.

A survey was taken of the conference participants. Attendance was lower the second day as some of the participants did not stay overnight.

Key cultural points about the conference

  1. Ukrainian Conferences typically do not have break-out sessions.
  2. Conference speakers typically read their lectures and do not seek dialog with participants.
  3. Participants typically talk amongst themselves during presentations.
  4. Having Michelle Norris (lived in Ukraine for two years) was valuable to the success of the conference in helping understand cultural issues.

The conference did have break out sessions and speakers encouraged dialog.

Survey Results: Poltava State Agrarian Academy Conference

Total Number of Registered Participants: 43 over the course of two days (not all participated both days). 35 participants on the first day. 24 participants on the second day.

Total Number of Surveys Completed: 18. Participants were asked to give feedback on the second day. The questions are as follows:

  1. What is your profession?
  2. Please write down three things (information) which you learned during the conference that were useful to you.
  3. How will you use this information in the future? (Classroom, farm, research, etc.)
  4. What type of information would you like to see presented at future conferences?
  5. Please give your recommendations about conference times, dates, length, and session content. This will help us provide better quality conferences in the future.

Answers to the surveys are as follows:

  1. Professor (Academy) : 5
    Department Head: 1 (Economics)
    PhD Candidate: 3
    Instructor (College level): 9
  2. Solving questions of finding new markets: 2
    Marketing agricultural products in Ukraine
    Developing Extension Services in Ukraine: 3
    Good friendly discussion
    Peculiarities of swine production in USA using new techniques in livestock
    production
    Handouts were useful
    Feeding and managing swine : 2
    Competitiveness of production
    American experience planting crops and keeping animals: 2
    Use of different media in presenting information (photo presentations, etc.): 4
    How to use micro and macro nutrients for soil fertility
    Material was up-to-date and technical
    How to estimate soil fertility: 4
    Organic crop production
    Irrigation
    Plant protection
    Technologies used in US animal production
    Insecticide usage
  3. Materials for lectures: 12
    For use in post-graduate research
  4. Problems of village development.
    Finding solutions for farming development
    Sales management : 3
    Economic aspect of agriculture : 4
    Innovations in the sphere of meat production complexes
    Marketing aspects : 3
    Strategic planning
    Market development for organic crops
    Different technologies in crop planting
    Vegetable production and marketing: 2
    Land division for crop production (organization of plots)
    Planting organic crops
  5. During studying process with involvement of students
    Would like to see conferences happen more frequently
    Would like to be invited to US to see livestock production
    It would be better to have conferences at the beginning of the study year so
    that teachers could give this information to students during lectures.
    Time of seminar should not coincide with lectures.
    Run conferences till the afternoon; not very long lectures. Single (break) out
    sessions according to topic.
    Make such conferences traditional and involve more participants and
    listeners.
    I enjoyed everything.
    Should be during the educational process (during semester) and involve
    students, farmers, and post-graduate students: 2
    Best time for the conference would be Feb. or March: 3
    The conference should be held in the Autumn or Spring so students can be
    involved: 2
    The conference should be held in the Winter

Academy Administration supports the following:

  • Future Conferences
  • Online Courses
  • On site U of I courses offered
  • Assistance in keeping Land O' Lakes Extension Center operating.
  • Student Exchange

Results: Chutava Rayon Meetings

While in Chutava Rayon, the team met with a local Extension agent. The agent was linked to the Land O' Lakes project which is closing in December 2006. This agent was obviously very inexperienced and intently listened as the team engaged local livestock and crop farmers. Having Michelle Norris to help discern cultural issues was very important to the success of the project.

The swine facilities and stock and machinery were reminiscent of 1960's US standards.

The team visited a local group of farmers that were working together to purchase the facilities of a local collective farm. The facilities had been destroyed by a combination of theft, creditors taking what might be salvageable, and anger due to lack of equitable ability to divide the collective facilities. The purchase price for the buildings was $30,000. Much work needs to be done. The farmers discussed with the U of I Educators strategies and plans for revitalizing the facilities. The roofing is made of asbestos.

Also while at Chutava Rayon, the team interacted with the owners and herders of a dairy/beef herd. The cattle were ranging on public land and are moved about the area during the day. Those farmers with just one cow graze the animals by simply putting a halter on the cow with a chain or rope and then driving the stake attached to the rope into the ground, Seibert said. The stakes are then moved around as necessary. There is a community grazing group organized by the farmers. Each morning they start by milking one's own cow and then they put all the cows together and run them out to the pasture. There are no fences, so the owners are the herders, and they each take their turn. The dairy industry is the most advanced livestock enterprise in the area.

Results from Poltava Press Club

During the Poltava Conference the local media was present. Multiple television, radio, and newspapers were represented. During initial proceedings, members of the team, Academy Administration and participants were interviewed. The interviews were attended by the Vice Minister of Agriculture for Poltava Oblast.

Results from Khoral College

Khoral College is located about an hour drive west of Poltava. The college offers a variety of technological related courses and has served as the training center for eastern Ukraine for John Deere mechanic training. The college has a large laboratory for agricultural mechanics. Administration expressed desire to offer online courses through Extension. There is a modern computer lab adjacent to the college. The college sits on the site of the massacre of nearly 100,000 Soviet POW's in the Second World War. Dave Seibert conducted meetings with faculty from nearby Khomotets College, which focuses on animal science. The remainder of the team met with Administration and reviewed facilities and the computer lab.

Results from Visits to Cooperative and Private Farms

Cooperative and private farms are struggling. Larger farms at times owe their existence to the fact that the local former collective manager stole or sold collective assets. This creates an atmosphere of distrust between small village farmers and larger farmers. The Team was able to get an up close look at the state of Ukrainian agriculture. Interest rates from banks run from 22 to 36 percent. Farmers lack the know how to properly operate a farm. Lack of financial resources keeps producers from using modern inputs. They are often organic out of necessity. Grain elevators tend to be quite large and located 30 miles or more apart. Canneries are even further apart and operate at less than 10 percent capacity. Grain cleaning operations are primitive in many locations. Still, one does see Pioneer and NK represented in the area. Western combines are also seen periodically.

The combine shown is used to harvest 4,000 acres of wheat and is operated 24/7 during harvest.

Future Endeavors in Poltava

  • Online Courses - Beginning January of 2007, Grain Marketing 101 will be offered thought ACES WebCT. Course will be a part of an Academy per credit course. The final exam will be administered during Poltava Conference 2007.
    Courses Offered:
    • Macro Perspectives in Commodities Marketing
    • Corn Growth and Development
    • Forage Crops and Grasslands
    In addition to the above courses, an agreement is being discussed with Richland Community College on offering online courses. RCC has a complete Associate Degree that can be completed online. The cost is reasonable and could help Ukrainian students eventually obtain admission into University of Illinois.
  • Student Exchange - Poltava Agricultural Academy desires to have a student exchange program between University of Illinois and their institution. Currently, this seems most feasible through local community colleges or the identification of specific students that have the resources and ability to attend the University of Illinois.
  • Continuance of the Land O' Lakes Marketing Extension Center. The Center which is located on campus runs out of funding in December 2006. The Academy is interested in obtaining assistance in keeping the Center in operation. The Center could be an opportunity for University of Illinois to support an office that is geared toward helping Illinois businesses operate in Ukraine, on a relatively low budget.
  • Poltava Conference 2007 - Will be held in April of 2007. A seven member team from Extension will travel to Poltava to conduct the conference.
    • Commodities Marketing
    • Agri Business Financial Analysis (Credit Emphasis)
    • Improving Swine and Dairy Herds through Artificial Insemination
    • Improving Wheat Production through Modern Production Methods
    • Modern Corn Production
    • Effective Administration of Extension Activities
    • Professional Development of Academic Faculty
    • Youth Leadership Development
    • Economic Development Training for Village and Municipal Authorities
    • Food and Nutrition Issue
    Target Audiences for Poltava Conference 2007
    • Agriculture: Students, Faculty, Farmers, Professionals
    • Economic Development: Village and City Officials (some meetings conducted at local municipalities
    • Administration and Extension Activities: Administration and Department Heads
    • Youth Development: Academy and College Students. Local Public Schools (ages 8-16), Local Orphanag
    • Food and Nutrition: Agriculture Students and Faculty. Local Public Schools, Local Orphanage.

Of the proposals listed, the 2007 Poltava Conference and the Online Courses are already funded and scheduled.

  • Poltava 2007 Conference - Funded by Extension Administration ($10,000). Remainder of funding to come from funding secured from Caterpillar and East Central Regional ExtensionOffice as a component of the Conference calls for the establishment of online courses.
  • Online Courses - Funded by Caterpillar and East Central Regional Office: Total Award = $3,900 USD. With RCC agreement, online courses will be up and running in 2007.
  • The student exchange proposal and the Land O' Lakes Center proposal is heavily dependent on grant funding. Several grants have been applied for involving the Center. The student exchange proposal is dependent upon individual student grant funding. To get the program initiated, a community college partnership may need to be arranged.