The Cherkaska AH is the only hromada that represents the Donetsk Oblast and is among the ten target hromadas-winners of the Local Systemic Development Programme competition. Participation in this programme made it possible not only to keep records of land and other resources, but also to keep urban planning documentation in order. The results of the work can already be seen and evaluated: the hromada has identified a contractor and plans to tender for the lease of a 89-hectare plot of land. In response to the citizens' appeals, permits were issued for the development of land documentation for the allocation of land plots: to create two public pastures with a total area of ​​54.9 ha and keep a personal peasant farm with an area of ​​2 ha involving 13 ATO soldiers.

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The Cherkaska settlement amalgamated hromada was formed in 2015. It includes 11 settlements with the centre in the urban-type settlement of Cherkaske. The hromada’s total area is 294.4 sq.km and is home to 9.5 thousand residents. 

Hromada land use maps have provided an update on land use status, land area and land users.

The AH is now facing the task of accepting and protecting the mismanaged property.

Having assessed the resources and the economic situation, the Cherkaska AH has understood where to direct the efforts and how to attract investors' funds.

“Our hromada is agrarian, and now we only produce raw materials. The next steps to develop hromada’s capacity is to create processing facilities, which, in turn, will create new jobs and increase tax revenues,” says Serhiy Padalka, head of the Cherkaska AH.

It is through participation in the Local Development Programme that the hromada has defined two main areas of its economic development: agricultural processing and tourism. There is a powerful cluster of tourist destinations in the AH – Prelesne village. An open-air museum of Ukrainian culture is located nearby. Mr Bantysh's abandoned estate, the lord's garden and the Love Lake with an area of ​​over 100 hectares are not far from the museum. These facilities are in a state of disrepair, and the AH sees the prospect of developing a powerful recreational area there.

Several foreign investors were willing to invest in the development of the site, but the land was not in hromada’s communal ownership, and the project vanished by itself. Only the Cabinet of Ministers can transfer land to the AH. Currently, the hromada is actively engaged in this issue and is looking forward to a positive result.

The hromada identified two major areas of economic development: agricultural processing and tourism

The Cherkaska AH listens to and cooperates with local business. Working in such a tandem, they have been able to develop a number of investment projects that will help in the future to create new business entities and provide jobs for the local population.

We will soon acquaint you and talk about the hromada from the Luhansk Oblast. It exemplifies that only perseverance and cohesion bring about the fruits of decentralisation.

The Local Systemic Development Forum in Kharkiv has proved that GIS technology is not a whim, but a tool for developing the hromada’s economic potential and attracting investment. The USAID Agriculture and Rural Development Support Project presented an open information portal with available land and other resources of 10 pilot hromadas and their perspective use within the framework of the Local Systemic Development Programme.

The full version is available in Ukrainian – please click HERE