This year’s drought has hit southern and eastern Ukraine hard. It has reminded us all that the climate is changing faster than we can adapt. If we want to remain in agriculture, we must learn to work differently.
This is how the idea for the training course “Drought ≠ Death Sentence” was born. In September, we gathered in Mykolaiv to have an honest conversation about the most important thing: how farms can survive and even become stronger in such conditions.
The atmosphere was special. It was not an official forum with pomp and circumstance. It was an open circle of people who work the land and share their concerns. We listened to each other, argued, and asked uncomfortable questions. Most importantly, we talked about practical matters: how to conserve moisture, how to build crop rotation, how not to break under the pressure of climate change.
We heard different voices – from farmers who are introducing cover crops to experts who analyze the long-term consequences of changing farming systems. There was a feeling that yes, it’s not easy, but we are not alone. There is a community that is looking for answers.
After Mykolaiv, it became clear that this conversation could not end with one event. Because drought is not limited to the south. It is increasingly affecting the east and even the central regions. That is why the next step is Dnipro. It is symbolic: the heart of the east, a city where different agricultural zones converge, and where the challenges of drought are already being felt very acutely.
On October 24, we will gather to continue this discussion. I am looking forward not only to the speakers’ presentations, although they will be very powerful. For me, the main thing is that participants return home not with nice words, but with ideas and solutions that they can try out on their fields tomorrow.
This time, the speakers include:
- Viktor Filatov from Kharkiv region, who will show how cover crop mixtures really help retain moisture.
- Volodymyr Moklyak from Poltava region, who has been conducting unique comparisons of conventional tillage and no-till for many years and sees the advantages, especially in dry years.
- And my part – I will share the experience of farmers from different countries who have long learned to work against climate challenges.
In Mykolaiv, we realized one thing: when farmers openly talk about difficulties and mistakes, it is much more useful than any presentations. And we will maintain this atmosphere in Dnipro as well.
Date: October 24, 2025
Venue: Prometey HUB Event Coworking Space
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Details and tickets here: https://no-tiller.com/lp/reagro/
Drought is a challenge. But it is not a sentence.
I believe that together we will find answers.