This innovative digital platform aims to streamline processes, enhance transparency, and foster a more efficient agricultural industry.
Comprehensive Electronic Registers for Plant Growing
The "e-Plant Growing" system encompasses a suite of interconnected electronic registers designed to centralize and digitize various aspects of plant growing and seed production. The key components of the system include:
1. Variety Database
The Variety Database serves as the foundational element of the "e-Plant Growing" system, comprising several interconnected electronic registers:
- Register of Applications: Facilitates the submission and processing of applications related to plant varieties and seed production.
- State Register of Plant Varieties Suitable for Distribution in Ukraine: Lists and verifies plant varieties approved for cultivation and distribution within the country.
- State Register of Patents for Plant Varieties: Maintains records of patented plant varieties, ensuring intellectual property rights are protected and managed effectively.
2. Additional Registers
Beyond the Variety Database, the system includes several specialized registers to support comprehensive management:
- Register of Seed and Nursery Entities: Catalogs all registered seed and nursery producers, ensuring compliance with industry standards.
- Register of Certification Auditors (Agronomist Inspectors): Lists certified professionals responsible for auditing and inspecting agricultural practices and seed quality.
- Register of Certificates for Seeds and/or Planting Material: Manages the issuance and tracking of certificates verifying the quality and authenticity of seeds and planting materials.
- Register of Conformity Assessment Bodies: Records organizations authorized to conduct conformity assessments, ensuring that agricultural products meet established regulations and standards.
Streamlined Application and Service Access
The "e-Plant Growing" system provides a user-friendly electronic office where individuals, individual entrepreneurs, and legal entities can submit applications and access various services related to seed production, nursery operations, and the protection of plant variety rights. This digital approach eliminates the need for cumbersome paperwork, reduces processing times, and minimizes the potential for administrative errors.
How to Use the "e-Plant Growing" System
- Registration: Users must register on the "e-Plant Growing" platform, providing necessary credentials and verifying their identities.
- Application Submission: Once registered, users can submit applications for seed production licenses, plant variety registrations, and other related services through the electronic office.
- Service Access: The system allows users to track the status of their applications, receive notifications, and access essential documents and certificates digitally.
- Interaction with Registers: Users can interact with various registers within the Variety Database and other components to ensure compliance and stay updated with regulatory changes.
Benefits and Strategic Implications
The introduction of the "e-Plant Growing" system is poised to deliver numerous benefits to Ukraine's agricultural sector:
Enhanced Efficiency and Transparency
By digitizing registers and centralizing data, the system ensures that information is readily accessible and easily managed. This transparency helps prevent duplication of efforts, reduces the likelihood of corruption, and fosters trust among stakeholders.
Improved Corporate Governance
The system aligns with the provisions of Law No. 3587-IX, which emphasizes improved corporate governance and adherence to OECD principles. By implementing high standards of corporate governance in the state sector, Ukraine aims to attract more investment and enhance the overall quality of its agricultural products.
Strategic Asset Management
The "e-Plant Growing" system allows for the optimization of the state asset portfolio by clearly defining which sectors the state should maintain its presence in. This includes the privatization or liquidation of non-strategic enterprises, ensuring that state-owned companies remain focused on critical areas that contribute to national security and economic growth.
Support for Innovation and Investment
With streamlined processes and reduced bureaucratic hurdles, the system encourages both domestic and international investments in Ukraine's plant growing sector. This fosters innovation, supports the development of new plant varieties, and enhances the competitiveness of Ukrainian agricultural products in global markets.
Official Statements
Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Representative of Ukraine, highlighted the significance of the policy:
“The state property policy defines the role of the state in managing state-owned companies, outlines which companies are strategic for the country and what tasks they must perform, and also introduces high standards of corporate governance in the state sector of the economy. Together with this document, for the first time in Ukraine, a clear and transparent remuneration policy for managers and members of the supervisory boards of state-owned companies, as well as a dividend policy, is being introduced.”
Collaborative Development with International Partners
The "e-Plant Growing" system was developed in consultation with international partners, including representatives from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), European Union (EU), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and USAID/Ukaid (SOERA Project). This collaboration ensures that the system incorporates best global practices and meets international standards for agricultural management and governance.
Future Steps and Implementation
Following the adoption of the state property policy and the launch of the "e-Plant Growing" system, the Ministry of Economy outlined the next steps:
- Triage Process: Identifying and categorizing state-owned companies into those that will remain under state ownership and those slated for privatization or liquidation.
- Formation of Supervisory Boards: Establishing independent supervisory boards for state-owned companies that meet specific criteria, ensuring adherence to corporate governance standards.
- Defining Responsibilities: Clearly delineating the roles and functions between government authorities and state-owned enterprises to prevent overlaps and enhance operational efficiency.
Conclusion
The launch of the "e-Plant Growing" electronic system marks a transformative step in Ukraine's agricultural sector, aligning with broader economic reforms and strategic objectives. By enhancing the management of state assets, introducing high standards of corporate governance, and optimizing the state asset portfolio, Ukraine is well-positioned to attract significant investment and drive sustainable growth in its plant growing industry. This initiative not only modernizes agricultural management but also reinforces Ukraine's commitment to transparency, efficiency, and economic resilience.
