According to DCP’s press service, many Ukrainian agricultural enterprises, farmers, processing plants, and logistics companies are facing a severe shortage of financing due to the consequences of the war. The new fund was established to address this issue — it will invest in the development of Ukraine’s agricultural sector, facilitate production expansion, create jobs, and help restore the country’s export potential.
The Food4Impact fund will operate with the backing of a €75 million guarantee provided by the European Commission’s Ukraine Investment Framework (UIF). The fund will finance food and agricultural companies focused on exporting products to the markets of the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.
According to Dan Pascu, Co-Managing Partner at Diligent Capital Partners, the project’s key feature is the speed of financing, as Ukrainian farmers urgently need resources for sowing, processing, and ensuring export operations.
“Thanks to the €75 million guarantee from the EU’s Ukraine Investment Framework, together with our partners we are launching a €150 million fund. The capital has already been secured, and we are finalizing the formal procedures to begin investing in Ukrainian companies in early 2026,” — said Pascu.
Financing will be provided in the form of targeted loans aimed at supporting and scaling the production capacities of agricultural enterprises. Operational management of the fund will be handled by Cardano Development, a Netherlands-based company known as an incubator of innovative financial initiatives.
Diligent Capital Partners specializes in private equity investments in export-oriented companies, agribusiness, and the consumer goods and services sectors.
The Ukraine Investment Framework (UIF) is part of the broader Ukraine Facility initiative with a total budget of €50 billion, designed to rebuild Ukraine’s economy, support businesses, and develop infrastructure. The UIF budget amounts to €9.3 billion, of which €7.8 billion is allocated for credit guarantees and €1.5 billion for grants, blended finance, and technical assistance.
Unlike the budgetary tranches under the Ukraine Plan, UIF funds are not directed to the state budget but are distributed through international and Ukrainian financial institutions, ensuring access to preferential financing for enterprises in the energy, transport, industrial, IT, agricultural, and green economy sectors.
