The main focus of the project is support of craft food producers of Ukraine towards establishing and scaling up their production while preserving regional and authentic features.
The project is executed by the online publication AgroPortal.ua in cooperation with the Government of the Netherlands in the framework of the (PSD) private sector development program of RVO.
Project background
Initially the project Incredible Villages of Ukraine launched in 2016 by the on-line publication AgroPortal.ua was aimed at the development of green tourism in Ukraine, however very soon the high potential in the development of the entrepreneurship in rural areas was discovered. Local communities from all over Ukraine took part into competitions and a network "Incredible villages" became a trend in Ukraine. The competition of the villages resulted in more than 100 application annually.
Since 2018 when the Embassy became the partner of competition Incredible villages in Ukraine, a number of Dutch companies in Ukraine became the partners of villages – participants, among them are suppliers of planting material, processing equipment and knowledge advisers.
In 2020 the the COVID challenged the organizers and participants of Incredible villages and the project went on-line - the platform Incredible Craft Bag was created whether the craft producers from all over Ukraine presented their products.
With the full-scale invasion in 2022 the importance of the local production in rural areas became absolutely clear since it largely contributed to the regional food security and economic stability. Despite the turbulent times the project went mainly thanks to the villages that were full of energy to develop.
Throughout 2025 the team of AgroPortal.ua together with the Office of the agricultural counsellor at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine developed the project #CraftUP Ukraine which will will promote the development of the local private sector, creating conditions for the legalization and scaling up of craft producers. Through educational programs and mentoring support, entrepreneurs will improve their skills in financial management, marketing, and production standardization, which will allow them to work more efficiently and integrate into global business chains.
The CraftUP Ukraine project involves a three-stage implementation:
Result 1: Conducting market research to assess the problems and needs of craft producers. Survey to identify barriers to business development and legalization.
Result 2: Development and launch of tailor-made educational program (based on the outcome of the survey) . Training f.e. in business registration, financial planning, marketing and certification.
Result 3: Mentoring support. Personal consultations on market entry, certification and business strategy
Result 4: Financial support for craft producers. Co-financing of equipment, certification or marketing.
Result 5: Facilitation of the establishment of the Association of Craft Producers.
Project duration:
January - December 2026
Beeld: © https://agroportal.ua/
Project presentation
On 11 December 2025 in the framework of the XVII International Conference "Doing Agribusiness in Ukraine" (#DoAgro25), AgroPortal.ua together with the Agricultural Office of the Netherlands Embassy in Ukraine launched the CraftUP project at the stand with the products from the vilages from all over Ukraine.