Iryna Barzo, co-owner of the Kyiv farm, began her agricultural career in 2014, initially growing strawberries with her husband on rented land. In late 2022, she founded Yahidna Storona Zhyttia (Berry Side of Life) on 12 hectares. Strawberries remain the main crop, alongside raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, honeysuckle, blueberries, and vegetables for crop rotation.
The farm produces 50–60 tons of berries and up to 12 tons of vegetables annually, mainly sold online to local consumers. With perishable products, storage and processing were critical. A grant from Corteva Agriscience's TalentA program helped to acquire equipment and start a frozen fruit and vegetable line. Sales are targeted at the farm's regular customers in autumn-winter. The new line is expected to generate about 1.2 million UAH in annual revenue.
TalentA is implemented with the Ukrainian Ministry of Agrarian Policy and the Bukovinian Regional Development Agency, providing women farmers access to education and finance, and helping rural areas build resilience during the war.
Source: www.corteva.com.ua