The event brought together students from Nemishaieve Professional College of NULES of Ukraine, Kompaniivka Professional College of Bila Tserkva NAU, Horokhiv Professional College of LNU of Environmental Management, Lypkovativka Agricultural Professional College, TEFK BNAU, and other institutions.
During the lecture, the speaker outlined key trends shaping the pig sector—from changes in meat consumption patterns to challenges related to market access, African swine fever (ASF), and economic conditions. According to her, the industry remains crucial for food security but is increasingly influenced by new “rules of the game.” Particular emphasis was placed on animal welfare, which is becoming a mandatory condition for production development. At the same time, both producers and consumers in Ukraine are still adapting to these changes.
Oksana Yurchenko also presented the online course “Pig Welfare: Best Practices and Inspection Features” available on the AgriAcademy platform. The course is open and free of charge, allowing participants to complete it at their convenience. The program covers key requirements for pig housing, approaches to welfare assessment, and practical aspects of farm inspections. Upon completion and successful assessment, participants receive a certificate confirming their knowledge.
The course is available at:
https://courses.agriacademy.org/courses/course-v1:FAO+PigWelfare+2026Q1/about
Technological innovation was another key topic. The lecture addressed digitalization, artificial intelligence, and international projects working toward the concept of the “farm of the future,” characterized by a high level of automation.
The lecture became part of a broader effort to prepare future professionals who will work in the pig sector under new regulatory, technological, and market conditions.
The Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders is a non-profit, voluntary organization founded by domestic pork producers. Its main goals are to represent and protect the interests of member farms, promote the development and implementation of efficient pork production technologies, expand market access, and safeguard the domestic market.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) aims to reduce poverty and hunger worldwide by supporting agricultural development, improving nutrition, and addressing food security challenges (ensuring access to food for all at all times). It was founded in Quebec on October 16, 1945. Its motto is “Helping to build a world without hunger.”
AgriAcademy is a digital educational space for knowledge and skills exchange in agribusiness. Its goal is to improve access for the Ukrainian agribusiness community to professional skills, successful business cases, and innovative solutions that meet modern market challenges.